Travel Safe Bucks supports local police mobile phone campaign

Throughout February, Transport for Buckinghamshire’s road safety initiative, Travel Safe Bucks, will be focusing on their mobile phone campaign, running alongside the police’s national campaign, which is aimed at tackling the issue of people who use their mobile phones whilst driving.

Most people are responsible and don’t use their phones when behind the wheel.

However, the council and police say they are still seeing far too many drivers who are willing to take the risk.

Research has shown that you are four times more likely to crash if you use your phone whilst driving, and that you are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal collision texting than you are drink driving.

Being on your phone, either making a call, sending a text, or scrolling social media, means that you are far less aware of what is going on around you.

Your reactions can be up to 50% slower and you will fail to take in important information, such as road signs, the position of the vehicles ahead of you or any pedestrians or cyclists travelling along the same route as you.

Thames Valley Roads Policing Unit will be focussing on the detection and prosecution of offending drivers to reduce the unacceptable and unnecessary danger that using a mobile phone whilst driving can present to all road users. Travel Safe Bucks is actively supporting this action with their mobile phone campaign throughout February.

Think twice before answering a call or text, even on hands free. Don’t take your eyes off the road. Drivers need to be asking themselves if it’s worth the risk – to which the answer is definitely no.

Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet Member for Transport Nick Naylor, said:

"It is disappointing that some drivers think it is acceptable to use their phone whilst driving, especially as they are putting themselves and other road users around them at risk. Even careful drivers can be distracted by a call or text – and you miss a lot when glancing at your phone! So do the smart thing and put your phone away when driving.

"This is an extremely important campaign and I am glad that Travel Safe Bucks will be supporting the police in tackling this issue."

Join the conversation on social media by using #ItsNotWorthTheRisk and #StandingUpForHangingUp