Mobile Phone Use and Road Crashes

Aims

To investigate the role of mobile phones in serious road crashes.

Methods


Using a mobile phone while driving increased the likelihood of a serious crash by fourfold

Data collection for the case-crossover study examined the role of mobile phone use in road crashes resulting in hospital attendance by the driver. Participants were drivers aged 17 years and above who owned or used a mobile phone and presented to one of three adult teaching hospitals in metropolitan Perth following a crash.

Status/Results

The case-crossover study was published in the British Medical Journal in August 2005. Use of mobile phone while driving increased the likelihood of a serious crash resulting in hospital attendance by fourfold. Currently available hands-free devices did not mitigate the risk. The results were presented at the 2005 Australasian Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference in Wellington, New Zealand.

Publications

McEvoy S, Stevenson M. Response to: Mobile telephone use among Melbourne drivers: a preventable exposure to injury risk. Med J Aust 2004;180:43

McEvoy S, Stevenson M, McCartt A, Woodward M, et al. Role of mobile phones in motor vehicle crashes resulting in hospital attendance: a case-crossover study. British Medical Journal 2005: July.

Institute Investigators

Collaboration

Funding Agencies