AQW 3611/16-21


Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford


Tabled Date: 21/09/2016
Answered On Date: 04/10/2016
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to outline why he has not sought to increase penalties for people who text while driving in line with the recent changes in England and Wales.


Answer:
I am very sensitive to the damage that can be caused by those who use a mobile telephone while driving.
I have followed with interest the media coverage of possible increases in fines and penalties for mobile phone offences in Britain. I am also aware that, following a recent Department for Transport consultation exercise on this issue, the Transport Minister intends to formally publish his response later this year.
At a meeting of the Road Safety Forum on 27 September I took the opportunity to discuss and reflect on this issue with key road safety stakeholders. Members demonstrated a clear and collective desire to tackle the use of mobile phones while driving. I have asked my officials to review our current legislation in this area, taking account of corresponding provision and proposals in both Britain and the south of Ireland. I will then decide what further actions should be taken to tackle those drivers who continue to offend.
Legal sanctions are useful and may improve the future driving behaviours of those drivers who are caught. However, they have less impact on the total population of drivers – many of whom will not be caught. The police cannot be at every corner and cannot be in every vehicle.
Public attitudes therefore need to change. I want to make the use of a mobile phone while driving as socially unacceptable as not wearing a seatbelt and as shameful as drink driving. Each of us must take responsibility for our own actions as road users. It is for this reason that road safety campaigns seek to highlight and address poor attitudes and behaviours.
My Department has been very active in seeking to get this message across – using television adverts, social media campaigns and the Community Engagement toolkit. Each of these has received positive reactions.
In summary, I believe that driver education, together with an effective legislative deterrent, represents the best approach to tackling this problem. In the coming months, I will take decisions on the detail of this approach.