Mobile phone users 'clog up roads'

Posted :03-01-2008

Those who use mobile phones while driving are responsible for slowing down the flow of traffic, according to new research.

A study by the University of Utah's Traffic Lab suggests that motorists who use their phones clog up roads and lengthen commute times.

Peter Martin from the facility explains to Reuters that mobile phones have an effect on the reaction to changes in speed.

"When a driver who is not distracted is in a traffic stream and the vehicle in front slows down, the driver will brake in response. When a vehicle speeds up in front, the driver will respond and speed up," he adds.

Such changes in speed and reaction times may increase the likelihood of a collision occurring and the need to make a potentially costly car insurance claim.

It was recently reported that UK drivers could face a two-year jail sentence if caught using a mobile phone behind the wheel.


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