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Probe into infotainment screen risks

Politicians demand answers about possible in-car distractions as accident rates fail to drop in the UK. 
Posted on 06 August, 2020
Probe into infotainment screen risks

An investigation is under way into the impact in-vehicle technology has on death and injury rates on the UK’s roads.

Infotainment systems and mobile phones are a significant factor in the “plateauing” of deaths and serious injuries in car crashes, warn politicians. The casualty rate from road accidents in the UK has remained largely unchanged since 2010 despite improvements in vehicle safety features.

Five people die on the roads and 68 are seriously injured every day, according to latest figures. There were 25,511 people killed or seriously injured in road accidents in the UK in 2018, an increase from the 24,510 victims in 2010, reports Auto Express.

The Department for Transport has issued a “call for evidence” document as it claims the failure to reduce casualties may be a result of infotainment systems and mobile phones distracting motorists.

Touchscreens have become increasingly common in modern cars, with some offering more than one screen for a driver and extra ones for front-seat passengers.

“Vehicles have become inherently safer with more warning systems alerting the driver to maintenance issues and growing safety focused automation and driver assistance systems,” the department says. “At the same time advances in car infotainment systems and mobile phone technology mean that there are increasing sources of potential distraction for drivers.”

Anyone caught using a mobile phone while behind the wheel in the UK can be given six penalty points and a £200 (NZ$380) fine. There are no laws limiting the use of infotainment screens.