Police have challenged the state's motorists to surpass the lowest road toll in 62 years and prevent the loss of at least nine more lives in 2009, the Adelaide Advertiser reported this week.

The Under 90 in 09 campaign is part of a national commitment to achieve a 40 per cent reduction in fatalities by 2010.

The 2008 toll of 99 – the lowest since 1946 – achieved the Countdown 100 aim of a toll below 100.

Now Operation Inattentive will lead the new joint SA Police-Advertiser road safety campaign, and hand-held mobile phone users who flout the law will be a major target.

Police say inattention behind the wheel is one of the "fatal five" contributors – along with drink and drug driving, speeding and failing to wear seatbelts – in almost every serious road crash.

And mobile phone use by drivers is a common factor. More than 11,600 motorists were issued with an on-the-spot fine for using a hand-held mobile phone last year, a 40 per cent rise from the previous year. The penalty is $209 plus three demerit points.

Laws passed in March last year made it illegal to use a mobile phone while driving unless it was fixed to a commercially manufactured and installed cradle.

Police say 35 per cent of fatal road crashes and 48 per cent of serious injury crashes between 2004-08 could be attributed to inattentive driving.

Research by the Motor Accident Commission – which today launched a state-wide media campaign on the dangers of mobile phone use – showed nearly 40 per cent of drivers consider talking on the mobile was no more dangerous than talking to a passenger. Statistics, however, prove drivers are four times more likely to cause a crash while using a mobile phone.

A third of drivers also wrongly believed using a hand-held mobile on loud speaker was allowed.

"A section of the community still doesn't see it as being as dangerous," Superintendent Mark Fairney, officer in charge of the traffic support branch, said.

"It's an increasing practice and blatant disregard for the law.

"I suspect that many people are unaware of the increased risk associated with the use of mobile phones. Drivers can use mobiles for calls or texts if parked at the roadside, but not if stationary at traffic lights or otherwise queued in traffic.

"Inattention is an issue on rural and metropolitan roads in all age ranges and for both males and females."

In praising the success of the Countdown 100 campaign, Police Commissioner Mal Hyde said road safety was everybody's responsibility and dangerous driving habits must not be tolerated.

"Adopting a lower tolerance means there'll be a greater level of ownership of road safety within the community and that people are prepared to demand a higher standard of behaviour on our roads," he said.

"SAPOL will continue its commitment to road-safety enforcement activities. Our role is to influence the attitudes and behaviour of road users to reduce road death and injuries in South Australia."

Melvin Mansell, editor of The Advertiser, said last year's initiative with police had been "spectacularly successful".

"This has helped to drive the road toll to less than 100 – a target people would have thought we would not achieve," he said.

"This year, the police have set the target for 90 and we'll do everything possible to publicise their efforts to stop people dying on our roads."

AMTA CEO Chris Althaus said the mobile telecommunications industry is committed to promoting drivers’ safe and responsible use of mobile phones.

AMTA’s safe-driving tips have been adopted by the Federal Government’s 9000 fleet cars across Australia; used in safety manuals for car manufacturers, including Toyota Australia and Ford; displayed on the NRMA’s website.

“In the tips, we remind all drivers that using a legal hands-free mobile phone while driving is not appropriate in all driving circumstances,” 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.”

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.