Those Who Text and Drive Decrease Between Years (original) (raw)

A new poll from the Icelandic Transport Authority showed some encouraging results when it comes to driver safety, Vísir reports: namely, the percentage of those who admit that they read or write texts while driving has decreased from last year.

Hands-free on the rise

According to the poll, conducted in cooperation with the insurance company Sjóvá, 35.8% admitted to reading texts while driving, and 27.7% admitted to writing them. This is down from last year’s poll, where 40.1% admitted to reading and 31.8% admitting to writing texts behind the wheel.

At the same time, 31% said that they often use hands-free devices for speaking on the phone while driving, while 37% do it sometimes and 19% seldom. 13% said they have never used hands-free devices while talking on the phone. In addition, 64% of those who said they often speak on the phone with hands-free devices believe the practice to be completely harmless.

Phones not the only danger

Gunnar Geir Gunnarsson, the department manager for safety and information at the Icelandic Transport Authority, pointed out that texting and driving is not the only danger when it comes to driving.

For example, he points out that many models of cars use one large touchscreen for controlling such things as music and temperature. Knobs, dials and levels are more tactile, allowing drivers to adjust these settings without necessarily having to look away from the road–far more difficult to do with a touch screen.

Among the recommendations the Icelandic Transport Authority makes is to always put your phone in driving mode when behind the wheel, so that calls do not disturb the driver. In general, any practice that involves keeping one’s eyes on the road and maintaining alertness is good for preserving driver safety.