They swing across the road and create life-threatening situations: drivers who text or call behind the wheel. The fine for the use of the mobile phone behind the wheel will increase today, from 250 to 350 euros. But is that enough, or should it be punished more severely?
Holding and using a mobile phone behind the wheel will therefore cost you a lot more money from today. The Dutch are aware of the dangers of telephone use during traffic participation, but hardly any action is taken on this. For example, 69 percent of motorists indicate that they sometimes use their smartphone in traffic. This is evident from a investigation by Interpolisperformed by SWOV.
That we are so stubborn is a result of the habit of reaching for our phone when we are not behind the wheel. And because many road users think ‘that sending an app on the road will work’. In addition, we also see other road users around us still using the telephone.
Young people use the telephone more often in traffic
Although three quarters of adults believe that using the phone in traffic is dangerous, a large proportion of them continue to use it. They mainly indicate that it is about reading messages and sometimes even sending messages while driving. Almost 1 in 12 indicates that they sometimes play games in the car.
Young people use the telephone more often in traffic than adults. This is because they use their phone more often, more automatically and more unconsciously in daily life. Young people also find the use of a mobile phone in traffic less dangerous than adults.