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Published on July 15, 2007

The Cabinet's decision last week to approve a new law to restrict the use of mobile phones while driving is a welcome step to improve road safety in Thailand. Although the action seems to be long overdue - given that other countries have passed similar legislation long ago - it is better than doing nothing at all.

Those who drive on the streets of Bangkok and other big cities in Thailand must on occasion have noticed some vehicles veering about in an erratic fashion despite smooth traffic conditions, and wondered what was wrong with the drivers. More often than not, a glimpse into one of these problem vehicles would reveal a driver using one hand to talk on his or her mobile phone and the other to steer the vehicle. This kind of careless driving poses a serious danger to other motorists and the drivers themselves.

Many road accidents related to the use of mobile phones have surely happened over the past decade during which the phones have come to be seen as a modern necessity. No official statistics on such accidents, however, have been compiled and publicised by responsible agencies. Even without a confirmed number of casualties, authorities and mobile-phone users can use their common sense to judge for themselves how distracting the use of mobile phones while driving is, and the potential dangers this bad habit poses.

Studies in other countries have shown that drivers who are engaged in a mobile-phone conversation are four times likelier to crash than other drivers are. A study conducted in 2002 by a researcher at the Harvard Centre for Risk Analysis showed that about one in 20 traffic accidents in the United States involve a driver talking on a mobile phone.

The research also estimated that about 2,600 people are killed and 330,000 others injured each year in road accidents related to the use of mobile phones.

In Thailand, research released in April this year by a lecturer at Kasetsart University's Faculty of Engineering showed that drivers talking on mobile phones, both on hand-held and hands-free types, are three-times more likely to have an accident.

The strictness of the restrictions different countries place on the use of mobile phones while driving varies. So far, there are four countries in the world that enforce a complete ban: Israel, Japan, Portugal and Singapore.

Even the use of a hands-free device is not allowed in these countries and motorists wanting to talk on their mobile phones must stop their cars. In another 21 countries, including Australia, Denmark and Hong Kong, drivers on the move can use hands-free mobile phones.

The Thai version of the law, which has yet to be scrutinised and passed by the National Legislative Assembly after winning Cabinet approval, bans the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving but allows drivers to use hands-free devices. Exemptions, however, would be granted for vehicles used by government agencies and emergency-rescue organisations.

Many motorists will find this to be a good compromise. At least if they have a hands-free device, they would not have to stop their vehicles to use their mobile phones in the case of an emergency. Having to stop one's car to make or take a phone call on a dark, secluded road at night or at the side of a busy highway full of speeding trucks could pose even more of a danger than talking on a hands-free device while driving.

As with many other Thai laws, the contents of which are great but which have never served their purpose due to poor enforcement, the mobile-phone law will only be effective in ensuring better road safety if the police seriously implement it. Thai motorists are notorious for their disrespect of traffic laws and it will not be surprising if many of them continue to drive with a mobile phone stuck close to their faces when the new law first takes effect. Strict police enforcement would show them that offenders will face the consequences and this will only help to deter wayward violators from taking the law lightly.