ACT Policing will be targeting driver distraction throughout the month of August as part of its multi-agency road safety strategy.
At different periods during the year, the strategy targets specific issues and behaviours which contribute to death and serious injuries on Canberra’s roads, with driver distraction among those concerns.
Police will be targeting different types of driver distractions this month including using mobile phones, eating, listening to loud music and driving with frosted windscreens and mirrors.
Officer-in-Charge of Traffic Operations Sergeant Rod Anderson says driver distractions continue to be a significant contributing factor in serious motor vehicle collisions.
“Driving is a skill that requires your full attention to safely control your vehicle and respond to events happening on the roads around you,” Sergeant Anderson said.
“Anything that takes a driver’s attention away from the road can result in a collision and the potential for loss of life.
“While the use of mobile phones while driving continues to be the primary cause of driver distraction, drivers need to be aware of other distractions that can also prevent them from having proper control of a vehicle.”
With the recent sub-zero temperatures during Canberra winters, police have also seen motorists driving with frost on their vehicles’ windscreens and mirrors, reducing visibility and increasing their chance of being involved in a collision.
“Last month we had a collision in Conder where a driver’s view was obscured by frost on her windscreen and she hit an ACTION bus,” Sergeant Anderson said.
“This incident highlighted how driving without a clear view is highly dangerous to yourself and to others. It’s not just an offence but may result in a collision that could cost those involved significant cost, inconvenience and injury.”
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