Mobile phones

Using a mobile phone while driving impairs your driving performance through distraction and increases the risk of crashing by at least four times. The most common types of crashes associated with mobile usage are 'run-off-the-road' crashes and 'rear end' crashes.

Using a mobile phone while driving significantly impairs your:

• reaction time
• visual search patterns
• ability to maintain speed and position on the road
• ability to judge safe gaps in the traffic
• general awareness of other road users.

If you need to use your mobile phone, stop and park safely where you will not endanger yourself and other road users.

Research shows that young drivers can be easily distracted and may experience difficulty in balancing the many demands on their driving - from perceptual, mental and physical tasks. Using a mobile phone while driving, even if you're just looking at a message, increases your risk of a crash by up to four times.

Avoid the temptation to multi-task when you drive. Don't look at your phone or talk to anyone and concentrate on the driving task.

Heads up!

Learner's Permit and P1 Provisional drivers are banned from using any type of mobile phone function while driving.  The mobile phone ban includes:

• using hands-free mode including Bluetooth technology
• loudspeaker operation
• GPS
• text messaging.

The dangers of using a mobile phone while driving

Using a mobile phone while driving leads to riskier decision making and distracts you in many ways:

• Physical distraction of handling the phone while driving.
• Visual distraction in having to take your eyes off the road.
• Cognitive distraction like having a conversation and driving at the same time.

Heads up!

Safe driving tips for using a mobile phone:

• Never read or send text messages while driving.
• Consider putting your phone on silent and out of reach, or turned off.
• Divert all calls to voicemail before you start driving.
• Pull over safely and park to make or receive a call.
• Plan breaks in your trip for phone calls.
• Tell your family and friends not to call when you know you'll be driving.
• Never look up phone numbers while driving.
• If you are using your phone hands free and correctly mounted, keep your conversation short to avoid distraction.
• Avoid making calls in heavy traffic, poor road conditions or bad weather.

What the law says

In South Australia, Rule 300 (Use of Mobile Phones) under the Australian Road Rules details what is and isn't legally acceptable use of a mobile phone while driving.

Rule 300 states that:

• If a person wishes to make or receive an audio call, including dialling a number,  and needs to touch any part of the phone to do so, that phone must be mounted (in a mounting commercially designed and manufactured for that purpose).
• If the phone is being used via Bluetooth, a headset or earphones without touching, holding or resting the phone on any part of their body (including their lap), the phone may be located anywhere in the vehicle, including in the driver’s pocket or pouch they are wearing (the driver may touch the earpiece or headphone to operate the phone).
• This does not affect the driver's freedom to hold the phone to make or receive calls, or use any other function of the phone, if the car is parked (but not stationary in a traffic queue or at lights).
• It is an offence to create, send or look at a text, video message or email on a mobile phone while driving, even if the phone is secured in a mounting affixed to the vehicle.
• It is an offence to make or receive a video call on a mobile phone while driving.

Learner's permit and P1 licence holders must NOT use any type of mobile phone function while driving.