A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) revealed that drivers are more likely to use their phones when they are driving at high speed.
The research, which analysed 600,000 car trips in the United States, showed that speeding and mobile phone use are related behaviours. The more drivers exceeded the speed limit, the more they used their phones.
This information contradicts the previous belief that drivers use their phones more when travelling at lower speeds, said David Harkey, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). In fact, the highest simultaneous rates of speeding and phone use were observed while driving on highways.
The study found that mobile phone use increased by 9% for every 8 km/h above the limit on roads with speed limits of up to 110 km/h. By comparison, roads with speed limits of 40 to 50 km/h showed less correlation between speeding and phone use.
“It is alarming that the relationship between mobile phone manipulation and speeding was strongest on roads with the highest speed limits,” said Ian Reagan, a senior IIHS researcher who wrote the study.
However, the type of road plays only one role in the connection between phone use and speeding. Previous research shows that phone use increases during rush hour and school dismissal times. Meanwhile, Reagan told Road & Track that there is evidence of environmental influences affecting people’s driving decisions.
So, what can be done? With the study, IIHS officials are advocating for increased enforcement in specific situations. Enforcement of phone use while driving generally focuses on visual identification at traffic lights or on slower roads.
However, the study emphasised that reducing distracted driving and speeding could be like killing two birds with one stone, especially if approached from a behavioural and technological standpoint.
“[Enforcement] is typically isolated to focus on speeding or distraction, but this points to a lot of value in going out with patrols that are actually targeting both,” Reagan said.
“In addition, we are really strong advocates of safety cameras, and there is safety camera technology that is capable of detecting mobile phone use. The typical way a police officer would enforce distracted driving has many limitations.”
Photo: Unsplash. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
