Mobile phones and driving don’t mix

Editorial

MOBILE telephones have revolutionised our lives.
Not only in Papua New Guinea but also in other parts of the world has this small device become one of the fastest-selling and most-popular items on the market.
Mobile phones allow us to talk at any time to friends, relatives, loved ones, business clients and just about anyone else at the touch of a button.
We are able to keep abreast of the latest news. And those who have it can even surf the internet on their mobile and receive  and send emails while far from a computer or an office.
It is small, multifunctional and very easy to use.
And for many of us, it is affordable. The competition among the various manufacturers in the
mobile-phone market has, to some extent, made that possible.
The mobile phone has become such an integral part of our everyday life that it is difficult to imagine how we can ever manage without it.
Of course, we don’t have to.
The mobile phone is here to stay, with all the many benefits it has brought us. And the technology promises still more wonders in the not-too-distant future.
But, inevitably, with all those wonderful benefits come a few problems.
Because a phone is ringing, we – or many of us – have the impression that it must be answered regardless of where we are or what we are doing. And that can be dangerous.
There is evidence that the use of mobile phones while driving contributes to road accidents.
There are laws in Papua New Guinea against the use  mobile phones while driving but they appear to be, at best, randomly enforced and, at worst, completely ignored.
It is difficult to control a motor vehicle with one hand, particularly on our roads here in PNG.
It is very difficult to maintain the required concentration while conducting a conversation with someone at the other end of a telephone. There is evidence that accidents have occurred in this way.
That is not the fault of the mobile phone. It is the fault of the user.
For while hands-free attachments are available, many of us find them expensive, so we continue to chat away while driving with one hand. As we have seen, this can be dangerous.
And, if people refuse to be more responsible in the use of this marvel of modern technology, it is time for the authorities to encourage them to be so.
The laws already exist; they simply need to be enforced. The PNG police or the National Road Safety Council are supposed to be monitoring and enforcing this.
On that note, it is encouraging that the police plan to make talking on the phone and driving an offence under the Summary Offences Act.
Police have blame a good number of accidents on city roads on people talking on their mobile phones while driving.
That same plan should be used in other municipalities and provinces. And urgently, too, as we approach the busy festive season when a lot of people will be using the roads travelling to their holiday destinations.
A simple advice to save your life and of others: The next time you receive a call while driving, it is best to find a safe place to pull over before answering. Better still, reach the end of your journey and then call back.
And if you drive a taxi, PMV bus, minivan or other public service vehicles, have someone with you to answer for you or leave your mobile phone at home.
Mobile phones have brought much to our lives, but we need to use them – not be used by them.