House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Operation Distraction OPERATION DISTRACTION Mr SIBBONS House of Assembly Mitchell OPERATION DISTRACTION Mr SIBBONS (Mitchell) (14:35): Can the Minister for Police inform the house about the dangers of using mobile phones while driving and what recent steps SA Police and the Motor Accident Commission have taken to curb this behaviour? Mr Pederick House of Assembly Mr Pederick: Arresting people. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Hammond is called to order. Minister for Police. The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN House of Assembly Napier Minister for Finance Minister for Police Minister for Correctional Services Minister for Emergency Services Minister for Road Safety The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Finance, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:35): I thank the honourable member for his question. I think we are all of the view that it is still very disappointing that drivers are not heeding the message when it comes to using a mobile phone when driving. As members may be aware, SAPOL has been conducting the month-long Operation Distraction targeting behaviours, especially driving while distracted, hence the name. This operation has involved all sections of SAPOL in a concerted effort to bring attention to not only the illegality of such behaviour but also its dangers. There is a vast body of research which suggests that mobile phone use increases the casualty risk for drivers by over four times— The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Excuse me, minister, could you pause? Could the member for Unley not talk across the barrier. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I call the member for Unley to order. Minister for Police. The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN House of Assembly The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. There is a vast body of research which suggests that mobile phone use increases the casualty risk by over four times. Research also indicates that using mobile phones to write or read text messages while driving is particularly risky and that the risks of mobile phone use and other distracting activities are higher for novice drivers. This was brought to my attention earlier in the year when I attended an RAA-organised seminar down at the Entertainment Centre for high school students. We had one young speaker there who had been charged for the death of a friend in his car. The reason the accident occurred was that he was texting. This was a real-life case and I think it brought home to the hundreds of high school students present at the Entertainment Centre that this kind of behaviour is risky and that there are consequences. They are real human beings. Many in their age cohort are flirting with danger and some are suffering the consequences. Working closely with police on this initiative, the Motor Accident Commission is now providing a virtual reality stimulator—simulator— Members interjecting: The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN House of Assembly The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN: I've got your attention, though—which is touring major shopping centres in South Australia (and after what I have said I am expecting long queues) to allow members of the public to see just how dangerous it is to respond to a text message or take a mobile phone call while driving. The use of a mobile phone while driving has been shown to impair a driver's reaction time, their visual search patterns, the ability to maintain speed and position on the road, the ability to judge safe gaps in traffic and general awareness of other road drivers, and that is why we are particularly tough on P1s in terms of outright banning the use of mobiles. As a result of Operation Distraction, I can advise that there have been over 1,700 offences detected by SAPOL since the beginning of this month, including 951 mobile phone offences. These offences do not only put the driver at risk but can also lead to the injury or death of a passenger, and I gave the example of that young fellow who spoke at the RAA Street Smart presentation in February. He killed a mate by responding to a text message. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Is that a supplementary from the member for Fisher?