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Ditch in-car mobiles, employers urged

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27th Feb 2007
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Bosses should completely ban staff from using mobile phones in cars, experts have advised as new tighter road safety laws come into force.

The warning from fleet management company Arval that even hands free cellphone use should be banned while driving was in response to the introduction on Tuesday of regulations which impose on drivers an increased on the spot fine of £60 and mandatory three points on their license if caught using a hand held mobile phone.

Mike Waters, head of market analysis at Arval, said: "For businesses, best practice would be to implement a complete ban for their fleet. Although companies may want to remain in contact with drivers whilst they are on the road, you have to ask yourself the question - is immediate contact really necessary or worth the risk?

"In terms of consequences we are not just focusing on the financial burdens to drivers and their licenses but the overall impacts to road safety and the reputation of the employer."

In its response to the new regulations, the Forum of Private Business (FPB) warned employers that they can now be prosecuted if they cause or permit employees to take or make calls, or send texts while driving.

Philip Moody, from the FPB, said: "The message to small businesses is clear; they are now liable for the actions of their employees and so must make sure that they are doing their utmost to prevent the use of mobile phones in the car. There really can be no excuses."

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By PAULGACC
28th Feb 2007 14:20

What Rubbish
Whilst driving a car, the driver is entirely responsible for his or her own actions. They should decide whether or not it is safe at that time to answer or make a phone call using a hands free device. If in any doubt they should either pull over or not use it. To suggest the company is at fault is ridiculous. As mentioned below there are many other distractions, if the company provide company cars with radios in, are they to blame if the driver is distracted by listening to it? Should companies therefore remove all radios from vehicles? or maybe we should just take the whole car away in case the driver has an accident with it.
With this sort of over reaction, political correctness and over the top health and safety rules, the worlds going mad. Where will it all end?

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By David160
27th Feb 2007 17:41

Other driving distractions
Using hand held mobiles whilst driving does cause more distractions, from driving, than hands free mobiles, which still cause a distraction. There are, however, a lot of other things which can cause a distraction whilst driving; eg.-

radios, road signs, pedestrians, sexually attractive people, bright lights, other road vehicles, shop signs, smells, loud noise, eating/drinking, alcohol, other people talking, the emergency services, speed bumps/unrepaired roads, passengers, children, and wives/husbands.

To name a few. Should they all be banned as well! Should employers be responsible if the driver is distracted by the above.

Driving is inherently dangerous, but neccessary, and so a balance has to be struck between other activities, which could make driving more dangerous, and driving more safely. Just where to strike the balance is the stuff of many debates.

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