Mobile phone detectors a possibility
Police say they'll consider a report that looks at the use of mobile phone detectors to try to stop New Zealanders using cellphones while driving.
We've all been told that cellphones and driving don't mix, but many of us aren't getting the message.
"You see so many people who don't know what they're doing, and you pass them and you see them with their phones in their hands," says one motorist.
"It's not safe but people are still doing it - I don't see why," says another.
Research done last year for the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) found 60 percent of people admit to using their phones while driving.
Nearly 30 deaths since 2007 were blamed on cellphone use in cars.
The report says one option is the use of mobile phone detectors, similar to those used in the United States.
At the moment, police can only monitor mobile phone use visually, something the report says is not enough – and the AA agrees.
"I think it's certainly worth looking at, but we'd have quite a few questions about it," says AA spokesman Barney Irvine.
The device detects a mobile's signal and monitors the phone's activity.
The report states mobile phone use is important to monitor as the rate of cellphone usage in New Zealand is likely to keep increasing.
And phone technology is continuing to advance, with bigger touch screens and more features such as apps and maps.
The NZTA says it commissions a wide range of research to help road safety, and this is just one piece of evidence when looking at reducing crashes.
A police spokesperson says they will consider the report, but how long it will take and the cost isn't yet known.
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