A new study has cast doubt on the possible effectiveness of the Government's long-awaited plan to crack down on motorists using mobile phones while driving.
The study by the Swedish National Road Administration (SNRA) for the Swedish government recommends not imposing a law, such as the one proposed by the Department of Transport, banning the use of handsets in a car but not banning the use of "hands-free" kits.
The SNRA tested 48 drivers in simulators. Half used hands-free devices, while the other half conducted conversations holding their mobile phones. They got about 10 calls each over the space of 1½ hours while driving in different conditions.
The test revealed almost no difference in reaction time between the two groups. It demonstrated that using a hands-free kit was just as dangerous as a hand-held mobile.
In the autumn, Seamus Brennan will bring legislation before the Dáil which will close a loophole in the law banning mobile-phone-use by drivers. The offence will also incur two penalty points and a fine of €435 when the penalty points system has been fully rolled out.
A spokeswoman for Brennan told Motors that a date of January 2004 was the target for the introduction of the offence in law. She said the use of hands-free kits was being examined as one of a series of safety measures the Government wants to introduce in the autumn.
The ban was first mooted by the then Minister for the Environment, Noel Dempsey, in August 2001. The law was passed in March last year in what seemed to be a pre-election rush by a government which had failed to implement a working penalty points system.
It has since emerged that the Government may have acted outside its powers, and that the Garda was not proceding with prosecutions. Brennan said last month that he had been advised by the Attorney General that the regulations may be open to challenge in court.
However, the use of hands-free kits will most likely not be outlawed. The Swedish study suggests that it's the distraction of the conversation which causes problems for drivers, not the fact that the handset is being held in one hand.
Ireland is not alone in bringing in mobile phone laws for drivers. More than 35 countries have banned the driver use of hand-held phones.
Britain is bringing in a scheme similar to ours at the end of the year. Authorities there are advising motorists not to use phones while driving, even hands-free kits. However, the use of these devices, like here, will not be an offence. The new offence will take effect from December 1st. Initially offenders will face a £30 fine, which may increase to £1,000 if the matter goes to court. The British government is planning to allow authorities to add three points on licences each time a driver is caught holding a phone.
