Overview
An act entered into force in the beginning of 2003 prohibiting the driver of an motor vehicle from using a mobile phone while driving, if that driver is holding the phone in his/her hand.
The study assessed the long-term effects of hands-free legislation on mobile phone use as well as the dangerous situations reported by drivers.
The data was collected by interviewing drivers (1,500) and by observing the use of mobile
phones in traffic (approximately 5,000 sightings).
Funding
Results
About half of drivers in Finland (48%) owned a hands free device in the spring of 2004. The share had not increased since the post-legislation situation. Still, the dominant share (80%) of drivers wear an earbud model.
The legislation has significantly decreased the use of phone in the car. Immediately after the act entered into force, the share of those drivers who do not, according to their own testimony, use the phone at all while driving, increased to 43%. In the year 2004, these drivers accounted for 41%. Especially the random users of the mobile phone have stopped talking on the phone while driving. Those drivers using their mobile phone regularly while driving report rather enduring phone usage, despite the new legislation.
Drivers’ use of mobile phones without hands free had increased in 2004. Immediately after the act entered into force, the share of those drivers who reported that they are holding the phone in their hands while driving decreased from 56% to 15%. By the spring of 2004, the share had risen to 20%, which is statistically significant. Also, the data which was collected from traffic by means of monitoring showed that the use of phone without a hands free device had doubled. The legislative shift has not decreased dangerous traffic situations – reported by drivers – which are related to mobile phone use. Neither have there been any changes in the profile of the dangerous situations. The most common dangerous situation is the failure to observe other traffic.
The use of hands free devices has affected talking in such a manner that drivers now talk with their friends on the phone while driving more than previously. Those using a hands free device have estimated that they are promoting the cause of safety with the phone use more frequently than drivers who talk without a hands-free.
The attitude towards the use of mobile phones in the car has changed. The majority of the drivers still feel that the drivers should only be allowed the use of a hands-free equipped phone while driving. The share of drivers subscribing to this view has, however, dropped. At the same time the share of those drivers who feel that one should be allowed to hold the phone in one’s hand while driving has increased. Based on the studies conducted so far, it is too early to draw any final conclusions regarding the safety effects of hands-free devices.
Policy implications
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Road
No results directly relevant to this theme. However, please note that findings for the project's key theme - Safety and Security - are generically applicable.
User aspects
About half of drivers in Finland (48%) owned a hands free device in the spring of 2004. The share had not increased since the post-legislation situation. Still, the dominant share (80%) of drivers wear an earbud model.
The attitude towards the use of mobile phones in the car has changed. The majority of the drivers still feel that the drivers should only be allowed the use of a hands-free equipped phone while driving. The share of drivers subscribing to this view has, however, dropped. At the same time the share of those drivers who feel that one should be allowed to hold the phone in one’s hand while driving has increased. Based on the studies conducted so far, it is too early to draw any final conclusions regarding the safety effects of hands-free devices.
Safety and security
The Finnish legislation has significantly decreased the use of phone in the car. Immediately after the act entered into force, the share of those drivers who do not, according to their own testimony, use the phone at all while driving, increased to 43%. In the year 2004, these drivers accounted for 41%. Especially the random users of the mobile phone have stopped talking on the phone while driving. Those drivers using their mobile phone regularly while driving report rather enduring phone usage, despite the new legislation.
Drivers’ use of mobile phones without hands free had increased in 2004. Immediately after the act entered into force, the share of those drivers who reported that they are holding the phone in their hands while driving decreased from 56% to 15%. By the spring of 2004, the share had risen to 20%, which is statistically significant. Also, the data which was collected from traffic by means of monitoring showed that the use of phone without a hands free device had doubled. The legislative shift has not decreased dangerous traffic situations – reported by drivers – which are related to mobile phone use. Neither have there been any changes in the profile of the dangerous situations. The most common dangerous situation is the failure to observe other traffic.
The use of hands free devices has affected talking in such a manner that drivers now talk with their frien