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Campaign warns of fatal consequences of using a mobile while driving

Dr Photo - CAMPAIGN WARNS OF FATAL CONSEQUENCES OF USING A MOBILE WHILE DRIVINGThe National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), GNR and PSP launch a campaign on Tuesday that, until the end of the month, will alert drivers to the sometimes fatal consequences of using a mobile phone while driving.

In a joint statement, the authorities inform that the campaign “Behind the wheel, the mobile phone can wait” will include awareness raising actions by the ANSR and inspection operations by the GNR and PSP, with special focus on roads and accesses with high road flow, in order contribute to reducing the risk of accidents and the adoption of safer behaviour by drivers.

In the last similarcampaign, which ran from February 23rd to March 1st, security forces inspected 73,544 vehicles and recorded 1,164 violations related to the use of mobile phones while driving, which corresponded to an infraction rate of 1.58 %, an average of 166 per day.

Scientific studies “equate the improper use of the mobile phone with driving under the influence of alcohol, with very similar consequences on attention and the ability to react”.

They also underline that the changes introduced to the Highway Code, in force since 8th January, doubled the amounts of the fines, now between 250 euros and 1,250 euros, with now three points deducted from your license, instead of the two previously.

ANSR, GNR and PSP insist that the use of mobile phones while driving is dangerous and call on everyone to avoid this behaviour, stressing that “it increases the risk of a car accident by four times”.

They also point out that the use of electronic devices while driving “causes difficulty in reading the road signs and causes disregard for giving way, particularly in relation to pedestrians”.

Original article available in Portuguese at http://postal.pt/