While governments continue to masquerade speed camera revenue as road safety, a leading British motoring organisation has confirmed in-car infotainment is a genuine factor behind road crashes.
However as this cannot produce income for governments, don’t expect anything to be done any time soon (in fact when was the last road safety ‘initiative’ which was actually revenue neutral for governments?).
The British Institute of Advanced Motorists says with cars becoming “living rooms” on wheels, motorists are overwhelmed by in-car systems and they’ve become complacent drivers.
while the technology has moved on, the driver awareness, behaviour or standards have not
Put simply, the Institute says motorists are spending too much time fiddling with technology on their dashboards rather than concentrating on driving.
Cars loaded-up with satellite navigation, digital audio systems, in-car televisions and hands-free telephones have become an extension of homes or offices – except in Australia they’re legally travelling on freeways at up to 110km/h.
The Institute’s chief executive Sarah Sillars said: “There have been developments in the last 10 years – with automated braking, rear sensors and so on – but while the technology has moved on, the driver awareness, behaviour or standards have not run in parallel.”
