RAC is urging Western Australians to remove distractions on their Easter road trips, warning drivers that texting while driving at 100 kilometres per hour is the same as driving the length of the MCG blindfolded.
RAC General Manager Corporate Affairs, Will Golsby, said while travelling at 50 kilometres per hour, looking at a phone for just two seconds means a person has travelled 27 metres without even looking at the road.
“On average it takes around five seconds to read a text message, therefore reading a text while travelling at 100 kilometres an hour on the freeway is the same as driving blindfolded for 138 metres, which is almost the length of the MCG^,” Mr Golsby said.
Inattention, be it deliberate or unintended, is a significant cause of road trauma and is comparable to the number of deaths caused by speed and drink driving.
More than half of WA’s young drivers (55%) admit to driving while sending a text message or email, and just over a third (36%) admit to driving while talking on the phone.*
Even more frighteningly, a third (34%) of young drivers say they have seen their parent or guardian drive whilst talking on the phone; and 20 per cent have seen their parent or guardian text whilst driving.
“Our road fatality count so far this year is alarming, particularly for the regional parts of our State,” Mr Golsby said.
“More than half of WA road fatalities this year have been in regional areas, where many people choose to spend their Easter long weekends.
“Driving holidays in our State can be long, and drivers seeking a distraction from the vast stretches of WA road is a significant problem.
“We urge all Easter travellers to resist the temptation to grab their phones on their road trips, and do everything they can to be safe on our roads.”
RAC is holding its annual free RAC Easter Pit Stop on Thursday 13 April at the Dorsett Road Rest Stop in Waroona for people on their way to the South West and Great Southern regions.
RAC will be offering coffee, soft drinks, food and a chance for drivers to stretch their legs and take a break from driving.
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*RAC Young Driver Survey
^ The MCG is approximately 171 metres long.
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