The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association’s safe driving tips have been adopted by the Department of Finance and Deregulation for the drivers of its 8,700 Federal Government fleet cars across Australia, AMTA Chief Executive Officer, Chris Althaus, said today. The Department oversees and maintains the Commonwealth’s car fleet and AMTA’s safety tips are on the Department’s website.

Mr Althaus said the safe driving tips were part of AMTA’s charter to provide practical advice for mobile phone users to help prevent misuse and promote the safe, responsible and affordable use of mobile telecommunications.

“AMTA’s safe driving tips are a commonsense guide to assist drivers to enjoy all the benefits of mobile phones, but to very clearly remember that safety is the most important call they can make when they are behind the wheel,” he said.

The use of the safety tips by the Federal Government follows their adoption by major Australian car companies in their safety manuals and use by the NRMA on its website. A range of industry associations covering plumbers, electricians and builders have also used the guides to assist their members.

Mr Althaus said: “We stress that although a hands-free device can reduce the physical effort to make and receive calls, drivers should avoid making calls in adverse traffic, road or weather conditions and avoid complex or emotional conversations. Safety is the most important call drivers can make.

“While technology can address physical and visual factors, education and awareness is required to address cognitive factors. Therefore, the most useful action governments can take is to help educate drivers about the appropriate use of mobile telecommunications products in vehicles.

“AMTA has urged governments to take the ‘education’ path on all driving distractions and has offered to partner governments in such a campaign.”

AMTA’s driving safety tips are widely used by fleet owners and motoring organisations and can be viewed under consumer tips at www.amta.org.au

Mr Althaus said mobile phones are only one of the many distractions faced by drivers and all potential distractions must be considered.

An American Automobile Association study analysed more than 32,000 traffic accidents caused by various driver distractions and found drivers were most often distracted by something outside their vehicle (29.4 percent), followed by adjusting a radio or CD player (11.4 percent), talking with other occupants (10.9 percent), adjusting vehicle or climate controls (2.8 percent), eating or drinking (1.7 percent), mobile phones (1.5 percent) and smoking (0.9 percent).

Recent Australian research, conducted by Monash University’s Accident Research Centre (MUARC), also found the effects of distraction were more pronounced during car stereo tasks than during hands-free mobile phone tasks.