News Items – #DontStreamAndDrive

Dashcams Convict

Neil Dewson-Smyth — Sat, 30 Dec 2017 11:39:20 +0000

The rise of the dashcam has been huge. Front facing, rear facing and some in the car too. Many people state it is there to protect them from other drivers and false allegations. This insurance scam is one such benefit.

We are increasingly finding though that the dashcam in your car has an opposite effect. It captures your poor driving too. The driver in this case convicted based on evidence from his own dashcam.

http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/grimsby-news/yaris-driver-caught-dashcam-causing-987904

Watching Porn

Neil Dewson-Smyth — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 13:39:09 +0000

This case, which is still an ongoing trial, throws into stark relief the very real dangers of distracted driving and the use of mobile phones by drivers.

We know about music. We know about texts and calls and emails. We know about live video, notifications and alerts. We know about handsfree being just as dangerous as hand held. We know about the countless other apps that can draw a drivers attention from the road. This case is nothing more with the exception of the content. Utterly disgusting.

Matters are made worse with the search term and then 25 webpages accessed in the 4 minutes prior to the collision. Twenty five!

The prosecution also allege he threw his phone away after removing and snapping his sim card in two. The trial continues.

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/lorry-driver-watched-porn-phone-914885

Update…

Driver Felix Gillon found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice. He has been jailed for 8 years.

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/what-judge-told-driver-who-928846

Handsfree calls are dangerous

Neil Dewson-Smyth — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 10:53:03 +0000

In this sad case the lady in question was engaged in a handsfree call for 20 minutes leading up to the collision. She drifted across the road and went head on with the oncoming traffic. On being found guilty the judge has warned drivers that handsfree phone calls are a distraction and dangerous.

This is not new. TRL established in 2002 that handsfree calls impaired a driver more than driving at the drink drive limit.

The UK mobile phone legislation has changed a number of times but it was flawed from the start and remains so. The legislation has embedded bad driver behaviour by endorsement of handsfree use. It is not an offence and thereby deemed to be ok. It is not. Very much not ok at all.

This is important for you personally and for you and your business if you manage staff who conduct day to day business by phone whilst driving.

Time to put your phone on do not disturb and concentrate on your driving. Employers must start moving to “non-use” policies for their mobile workforce.

Distracted driving kills

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/30/motorists-warned-dangers-hands-free-mobile-kits-distracted-driver/

** Update**

Driver has returned to court and been sentenced to 3 years in jail. This was a legal “handsfree” call as far as the mobile phone offence is concerned. However, the driver has exposed herself to far more serious offences.

Handsfree calls are distracted driving.

http://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/local-news/teaching-assistant-jailed-killing-dad-884385

pic credit – Daily Telegraph

Morrison found guilty

Neil Dewson-Smyth — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 12:06:27 +0000

The trial of Peter Morrison concluded this morning. He was pleading guilty to death by careless driving but the prosecution rejected the plea and pushed for death by dangerous driving contrary to s1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Morrison lost control of his vehicle, slewed across three lanes and collided with two highway workers. One was killed outright and the other is seriously paralysed.

This morning the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict at Preston Crown Court.

Key evidence from the case;

M6 motorway
Average speed 81mph
25 texts sent in 23 miles
Appalling weather conditions

This will be an interesting case with regard to sentencing. Tomasz Kroker killed a woman and 3 children whilst distracted in August 2016. He made an early guilty plea and was sentenced to 10yrs in prison. I’m not aware of any previous conviction history for Kroker that increased his sentence. Some would argue that with a maximum sentence of 14yrs being available 10yrs was not enough. However, based on many other cases this sentence was substantial.

If Morrison is in the same position as Kroker then he has a hefty custodial sentence ahead of him. Kroker killed four people. Morrison killed one and seriously injured another. There is no doubt that Kroker caused far more devastation and hurt. The fact the outcome is less horrific will offer little comfort to the grieving families in this case. Morrison will also lose any discount for an early guilty plea having opted for a trial which lasted 6 days.

Historically there have always been complaints about the sentences handed down in such cases. Many people have called for manslaughter or murder charges. The argument is an old one but the government have finally recognised this and agreed to increase the maximum penalty from 14yrs to life. This legislation is not yet in force but the pressure upon the judicial system and government will make this an interesting case with regard to the penalty imposed.

Either way….Morrison faces a considerable amount of time behind bars. A sobering thought for anyone who still uses a phone whilst driving.

Morrison is released on bail and will be sentenced on November 23rd

Truck driver jailed for 5 years

Neil Dewson-Smyth — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 00:03:31 +0000

Dorel Galan caused a 6 vehicle collision. He was driving a 32 ton HGV. 18 minutes prior to the crash he made a 9 minute video call via Facebook. Evidence also showed that he was making a phone call immediately prior to the crash.

Much like the Kroker case he did not see queuing traffic and ploughed into the back of it. In the ensuing chaos his actions killed Mr Ian Newall.

In addition to this he was driving over his hours and fatigued.

Driver videos passengers death

Neil Dewson-Smyth — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 10:54:43 +0000

The practice of fooling around in cars and recording or live streaming video is sadly giving me content for this site every day.

The footage on this link is graphic. Fortunately the final moments have been trimmed out but you can just imagine how horrific this was.

What made Natalia do this? Drunk, drugged, both? Maybe just high on life. Whatever the circumstances her behaviour is clearly stupid. Her family probably totally perplexed as to why their beautiful daughter did something so obviously dangerous.

The other issue with this is the driver. The full facts are not known to me but look at video. It is steady and follows Natalia’s movements very well. If the driver were watching the road this camera footage would be waving all over the place. This clearly indicates the driver was focussing more on recording this event rather than concentrating on the road.

Distracted drivers often swerve onto or drift into the wrong side of the road. Did she drift into the path of oncoming vehicles? Did she drift to the side whereupon Natalia came into contact with street furniture?

The facts remain unknown but two facts are indisputable. Natalia was engaged in foolish behaviour in a moving vehicle and the driver recording the event was not in proper control of the car and contributed to this tragic outcome.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/topless-tourist-killed-shes-filmed-11330778

*****

Addendum 14.10.17

Driver of same care reportedly arrested for drink drive.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/pal-topless-woman-killed-shes-11334664

Saudi Arabia Snapchat Death

Neil Dewson-Smyth — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 16:50:50 +0000

Yet another fatal road crash where social media has played it’s part in distracting the driver.

There are two factors to this that make it important. The first and foremost is that this is streaming and driving. Whether it’s Snapchat, Instagram live, Facebook Live, Periscope… or any other platform. The practice of live video is inherently dangerous and often leads to serious injury or death. As can be seen. It is a global issue.

The second and more important factor for me in this case is that the person actually streaming isn’t the driver. It’s the passenger. Just look at the driver. The video is very short but his attention to the road ahead is pretty much zero. This highlights a very real issue that drivers will often not think about. In such circumstances they are caught up in the moment, it’s fun and they are enjoying themselves and lets face it.. they aren’t committing a mobile phone offence because they aren’t holding it or using it. Though the consequences are clearly the same.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4970578/Disturbing-footage-shows-two-men-filming-Snapchat.html

Fooling around in a car and having a good time like this is not conducive to safe driving. In fact even by removing the video you could still end up with fatal consequences. Watch this great distraction video from the DOE Road Safety Team in Northern Ireland. Makes you think? I hope so. #DontSteamAndDrive and it’s fair to say you shouldn’t be a passenger and stream either.

New Zealand Cops Twitter Blowout

Neil Dewson-Smyth — Wed, 11 Oct 2017 17:24:40 +0000

Twitter has been in place within a policing context for many years and we get better at it all the time. Not just in the UK but internationally and we can all learn from one another. One of the first things I tell people who are starting out on Twitter is to find other accounts like them (I always recommend a few) and have a good look at what they are doing. Learning from the practice and behaviour of others is one of the simplest and easiest ways to get an idea for how the platform works.

Are we getting it right? I think the jury might still be out on that one. Maybe it would be fairer to ask if we are using it to its full potential. That would be a definite no. Maintaining standards and control can be tricky. It’s not so bad when you are an individual and run your own account. There’s only you to blame after all. Issues can arise though when a team of users run an account.

When an account has a good reputation, consistently good content and some skilled staff posting it is a thing of wonder. Then, occasionally, someone has a bad day or a new person is let loose on the account.. the consequences ‘can’ be catastrophic.

Who knows that happened in New Zealand with this one but the outcome is well known and published on media outlets across the world. Take a read of the article linked below and learn… there are some places you just don’t go in life.. and so definitely not on social media either. There’s a time when you can blame some posts on social media naivety… and there are some times when common sense seems to have been abandoned altogether.

http://www.wheels24.co.za/News/twitter-fail-cops-apologise-for-insensitive-road-death-tweet-20171010

Mobile Phone Detection Sign

Neil Dewson-Smyth — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 11:20:29 +0000

At the recent TISPOL conference, Westcotec , who design and supply vehicle activated signs, launched their new mobile phone detection sign.

I was lucky enough to be able to speak to Chris Spinks from the company and get up close to this new sign. I have always found vehicle activated signs very effective. I think that on occasions the standard signs we have on our roads are so common place that we can tend to overlook them. They are essential but I think we may sometimes be a little complacent when it comes to actually ‘seeing’ them. Vehicle activated signs fill a gap in this area for me. When you may have inadvertently drifted above the speed limit a little the vehicle activated sign illuminates and warns you of your error. Whilst I can’t advocate excess speed I do understand that we all drift over the limit at times. I tend to look at these signs a little like Jimmy Cricket in the Disney classic Pinocchio. A little prick to your conscience. If such a sign illuminates for me the desired effect is achieved.. a correction in my speed.

The new sign from Westcotec is fascinating in how it works but as Chris says in the linked article below.. “This is purely about education.. ” The sign will struggle to differentiate between a driver using a phone and a passenger. However, I believe an activation for either will help to drive home the message that phone use whilst driving is dangerous.

I look forward to seeing how this product develops and any results from tests.

http://roadsafetygb.org.uk/news/6051.html

Michele Scarponi killed by video watching driver?

Neil Dewson-Smyth — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 18:41:34 +0000

Professional Italian cyclist Michele Scarponi was killed in April this year when he was hit by vehicle whilst out on a training ride.

News reports today ahead of the suspects trial suggest that the driver responsible was distracted by watching a video playing on his smartphone.

Any use of a phone whilst driving is inherently dangerous whether live stream broadcasting, live stream receiving, checking social media, reading alerts, sending texts or taking calls.

The simple solution is to put the phone in the phone compartment and leave it there until your journey is complete.

http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/scarponi-driver-distracted-video-playing-smartphone-354403