A survey by the AA Research Foundation in New Zealand found one in four young drivers admit to scrolling social media while driving and more than half texting or messaging.
Now the AA and Kaitiaki o Ara / Students Against Dangerous Driving (SADD) are encouraging Kiwi drivers to start using the Do Not Disturb feature of their mobile phones.
It’s estimated by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) that a driver is about four times more likely to be involved in a crash when using a phone.
SADD General Manager Donna Govorko said younger drivers were significantly more prone to phone distractions when behind the wheel.
“This is the generation who have grown up in a time when social media and mobile phones are rooted in our daily lives, but we cannot let distracted driving become the norm when lives are at stake,” she said.
“That’s why we want our young drivers, and indeed all drivers, to try out the Do Not Disturb feature on their smartphone whenever they are behind the wheel.”
AA Road Safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen said if New Zealand had the same rate of road deaths among young people as Australia does, there would be 20 less deaths each year. He believes Do Not Disturb could be a game changer.
“Putting your phone in Do Not Disturb before hitting the road is an effective and incredibly easy strategy to limit distractions, taking about three seconds – that can be as quick as putting on your seatbelt,” he said.
