Swedes can text and drive

The British government and police have placed such a great emphasis on the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving that criminalisation of the act has long seemed the only option. In Sweden they like to do things rather differently.

Rather than taking heed of the findings that mobile phones act as a distraction for motorists, the Swedish National Road and Transport Institute has conducted its own research into the subject. Surprisingly it found that enforcement of mobile phone laws in other European countries has had minimal impact.

The Swedes would undoubtedly point to recently released media reports telling of the widespread use of hand-held devices and access to social networks by young drivers in the UK. They may also draw upon revelations that the number of British motorists using their phones has risen considerably since the first year of legal enforcement.

A Swedish government representative said, “For it to be effective you would need a total ban, as it is the calls themselves and their content that distracts the driver. Hands-free doesn’t help and I can’t see a total ban being passed.”

Here at CoverGirl we have been wondering what you, the blog reader and potential car insurance customer think about this issue. Would it be better if the British government had turned a blind eye to the use of mobile phones, or was the right decision made when penalties were introduced?

Labels: distraction, driving, law, mobile phone, motorist, Sweden, Swedish National Road and Transport Institute, UK, young drivers