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Police accident investigation officers suggest that mobile phones are now the number one suspect in crashes involving driver inattention.
Police accident investigation officers suggest that mobile phones are now the number one suspect in crashes involving driver inattention.
Senior Sergeant Peter Jenkins’ said officers now order call records and text transcripts as a matter of “routine” after fatal and serious crashes to see whether victims were talking or texting at the time of the incident.
Speaking with the Daily Telegraph, NSW Chief Superintendent John Hartley, revealed that he had seen the devastating effects of using a mobile phone whilst driving first hand – having witnessed a head on collision a few years ago that was believed to have occurred as a result of the driver using her mobile phone.
“I was following an 18-year-old lady on the Northern Beaches when the vehicle, for no reason, crossed to the wrong side of the road and collided head-on with a truck,” he said.
“She was killed instantly and we believe at the time she was using a mobile phone to text or talk to somebody.”
Supt Hartley, who was travelling home from a country holiday with his wife when the crash happened four years ago, was the second motorist to reach the dead girl.
In the past six months the number of drivers caught on the phone totalled 19,584. Drivers caught using their phones while in traffic face losing three demerit points and a fine.
Source:
The Daily Telegraph
