? Animal controller sits beside gorillas of the mist
Hands-free still a distraction?
Public response has been better than expected, but police warn of continued distractions. ?We have not been giving out warnings ... it has been in all the newspapers, radio. ?It has gone better than we would have thought, people have clicked onto it,? says Lower Hutt traffic sergeant Bob Jones. The Lower Hutt police staff have issued 16 cell-phone use tickets, as part of new road rules under the Land Transport (Road User) Amendment Rule 2009 that took effect on 1 November. Those caught breaking the law face $80 fines and 20 demerit points on their driving licence. ?There has definitely been a decrease in people using them, from observation and the fact so many handhelds have been purchased, people also don?t want a ticket. ?We just don?t want people to get complacent,? he says. Although the ban is a ?positive step? the act of talking is the real culprit in distracting drivers, says Mr Jones. Wellington District road policing manager Peter Baird says talking to anyone other than a passenger is highly distracting. ?It like using the radio or CD player, it?s the same risk as texting, and hands-free is just as distracting. ?When you talk with a passenger you both monitor the environment, but on your phone you don?t. ?It?s very distracting because you are intent on listening to the caller,? says Mr Baird. Although the number of fines has been ?less than expected? he hopes people take the ?trauma promoting offence? seriously. The message seems to be getting through, although Mr Baird ?infuriatingly today? issued a ticket for texting and driving. ?He was going 70km/h on Aotea Quay, his head bobbing up and down, up and down, I thought, how dare you with oncoming traffic. ?It?s treated like wearing a seat-belt; there are no warnings for these types of offence. ?We expect a rise in the coming months of [issuing tickets] as people think they can test the waters,? says Mr Baird. He says it?s sensible to pull over and stop before making a call ? even with voice-recognition dialling and a hands-free phone.
