The Police are announcing European Distracted Driving Awareness and Policing Week and tackling hands-free driving (using a mobile phone or other object) with the ultimate aim of reducing serious and fatal injuries in road collisions and raising driver awareness . The worldwide traffic controls will start from tomorrow, Monday, October 7, 2024 and will last until next Sunday, October 13, 2024. The campaign in question will be carried out at the same time at the European level, in the context of the Police's cooperation with the European Traffic Police Network Roadpol.
As is well known, both internationally and locally, driver distraction is one of the most important factors that contribute to increasing the likelihood of being involved in a road traffic collision, given that the reaction time is dramatically reduced in the event of an emergency. Driving with the use of a mobile phone also plays a decisive role. It is also noted that, during the three-year period 2021 – 2023, 16.2% of road deaths and 21.3% of serious road injuries were due to distracted driving, making it the number one cause of serious and fatal road injuries. Besides, it is pointed out that several valid studies have shown that the use of a mobile phone while driving significantly reduces: maintaining the correct position on the road maintaining the correct/predicted speed the reaction time, resulting in delayed application of the brakes the judgment and recognition of safe distances the general perception of trafficIn addition, during the continuous road checks that will be carried out, zero tolerance will be shown to the traffic violations that are the main causes of fatal and serious road collisions (failure to use a seat belt/protective helmet, violation of speed limits, driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs substances).
