In a new survey, which the Council for Safe Traffic is behind, 6 out of 10 Danes answer that they do not know that their mobile phones can be set to 'do not disturb'. The function may otherwise result in fewer cuts in the card.
The police handed out almost 19,000 clips last year to motorists who used their phones or other hand-held telecommunications equipment while driving. It shows how widespread the problem is with inattention in traffic.
It can be both dangerous and expensive to use a mobile phone while driving. To reduce the risk, drivers can take advantage of a simple solution: turn on the "Do Not Disturb – I'm Driving" feature on their mobile phones to avoid being distracted.
However, a survey by the Council for Safe Traffic shows that almost 58% of drivers do not know about this function (see regional figures below). This underlines the need for better information and awareness of technologies that can increase road safety.
– We know that many people find it difficult to leave their mobile phone alone if it rings or vibrates. And when you bark in traffic, it can be risky, as it takes the focus away from others in the traffic.
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Therefore, it is obvious that you use the aids that are available. It could be, for example, turning on the 'do not disturb' function on the mobile phone during the choir tour, says Lisbeth Sahl Bauditz, senior project manager at the Council for Safe Traffic.
By activating the "Do not disturb – I call the car" function on the mobile, an SMS is automatically sent to the person trying to contact you. The message informs that you are driving and will return when it is safe to do so.
This function can create more calm during the crossing and increase focus on the traffic. Inattention and lack of orientation are involved in six out of ten fatal traffic accidents, according to the Road Directorate's accident figures.
To help drivers use this feature, the Swedish Road Safety Council has created a video showing how to activate the "Do not disturb – I'm driving" feature on an iPhone.
This is how many clips the police districts handed out in 2023 to drivers for using hand-held mobile phones (source: National Police):
- Northern Jutland: 1,047
- East Jutland: 1,285
- Central and Western Jutland: 1,938
- Southeast Jutland: 1,411
- South and Sonderjylland: 1,353
- Funen: 1,200
- South Zealand and Lolland-Falster: 1,147
- Central and West Zealand: 1,026
- North Zealand: 846
- Copenhagen Vestegn: 1,763
- Copenhagen: 5,761
- Bornholm: 51
- Total: 18,828
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