NSW Staysafe Committee Calls For Submissions On Road User Distraction

The New South Wales Government's Staysafe committee is calling on submissions from the public in its inquiry into driver and road user distraction.

Formed in 1982, the Staysafe programme is focused on investigating and reporting on road safety issues in New South Wales, including road repair standards, speed limits and pedestrian safety.

The new Driver and Road User Distraction inquiry will report on the part that distraction plays in road incidents, with a view to identifying its impact and to propose solutions.

This latest inquiry has been welcomed by insurer AAMI, whose latest Crash Index study shows that a large number of motorists admit to falling prey to distracting gadgets and actions while driving.

According to the research, satellite navigation sytems and music selection are the biggest distractions for motorists, affecting 35 percent of 3740 respondents.

Talking on mobile phones while driving remains an issue for many, with 23 percent of respondents guilty of the offence.

A further 22 percent admitted to reading or sending text messages while driving, and nine percent use their phones to browse websites while driving.

The insurer has also partnered with the University of New South Wales in a three-year study into road rage, driver distraction and driver anxiety.

Members of the public are invited to make a submission to the committee by visiting parliament.nsw.gov.au.