The National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), GNR and PSP launched a campaign on Tuesday to warn drivers about the “negative and even fatal consequences” of cell phone use while driving.
The road safety campaign “At the wheel, the cell phone can wait” is part of the 2022 National Inspection Plan and will run until May 30 throughout the country.
According to the ANSR, last year 24,306 offenses related to the use of mobile phones while driving were detected, which represents an increase of 5.5% compared to 2020.
In a joint statement, the ANSR, the PSP and the GNR underline that “it is urgent to stop this behavior”, arguing that Using a cell phone while driving increases the chance of having an accident by four times.
The “At the wheel, the mobile phone can wait” campaign will integrate various awareness-raising actions carried out by the ANSR and inspection operations by the GNR and the PSP, with special attention to roads and accesses with high traffic.
ANSR, PSP and GNR refer in the joint statement that the campaign aims to contribute to “the reduction of the risk of accidents and the adoption of safer behavior by drivers” in relation to the use of mobile phones while driving.
According to ANSR, PSP and GNR, drivers who use their cell phone while driving are “slower to recognize and react to hazards”, distraction occurs when two mental tasks, driving and using a cell phone, are performed at the same time, which which causes inattention and errors in judgment and the use of electronic devices while driving causes difficulty in interpreting signs and failure to comply with the rules of giving way, especially in relation to pedestrians.
Source: Observadora
