Now the election dust has settled, we understand that David Cameron’s new government will be under pressure from the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), to look at four key priorities in order to improve road safety in the UK. At the top of the IAM’s list is the motoring charity’s growing concern that in-car technology is providing a dangerous distraction for drivers.
Connectivity is a major sales platform for many car manufacturers but the IAM believes that tech such as social media interaction, sat-nav programming and smartphone mirroring are proving genuinely hazardous.
Sarah Sillars, chief executive of the IAM, said: “Cars are so advanced that they have become surrogate living rooms. But we are concerned about the distraction element of driving.”
The IAM believes that Britain should follow the example of the US, where guidelines issued in 2013 to encourage car manufacturers to limit the distraction of in-car technology. They recommend that the maximum time a driver should take their eyes of the road to perform a task is two seconds.
“Put simply, technology has moved too far for Government. We need research-based guidelines that highlight distraction is an issue,” added Sarah Sillers.
