New laws will restrict use of mobile phones by motorists

3/5/00
Transport Minister Murray Criddle said today that he had decided only as a last resort to introduce laws banning the use of hand-held mobile telephones while driving.
"Driver apathy towards our year-long awareness campaign on the dangers holding a phone while driving has left the Government with no alternative other than a fine," Mr Criddle said.
"People will have until July 1, 2001 to obtain an accessory to make their car phone hands-free if they intend to use them while driving.
"After that anybody caught using their phone hand-held while in control of a vehicle faces a penalty of $100 and the loss one demerit point."
Mr Criddle said there were a range of hands-free options that varied from purpose-built cradles fitted to a vehicle's console to an earpiece with cable and built-in speaker. The average cost for the fitted model was $345-$380 ($260-$300 sales tax exempt) and the cost for the earpiece model was $29-$90 ($25-$70 sales tax exempt).
"It was disappointing that our public awareness campaign fell on deaf ears and as a result we have had to introduce new laws," the Minister said.
"The Road Safety Council commissioned an independent observational study of mobile phone use in the Perth metropolitan area prior to the community education campaign.
"A similar study was repeated 12 months later and statistically there was no significant difference in phone use behaviour among drivers.
"The Office of Road Safety also commissioned a survey on road safety issues in January this year, including hand-held mobile phones, and 91 per cent wanted the practice banned.
"A total of 17 per cent of people surveyed also reported that they had seen accidents caused by people using hand-held mobile phones, or had been in an accident caused by mobile phone use, or had seen a near miss or had experienced a near miss.
"The community has told us it wants something done."
Mr Criddle said that a public education campaign would advise the community of the impending changes to the law and the phasing-in approach would allow private car owners and businesses to plan ahead and decide their best option.
"Even with fitted cradles people will still need to recognise there are dangers associated with keying-in and using their mobile phones while driving and we want to clearly spell out this message ahead of the new laws," he said.
Media contact: Doug Cunningham 9321 7333