Mobile phone use, one of the biggest dangers in traffic, continues to be on the agenda with increasing accident rates both globally and in Turkey. Evaluating the issue, OHS Specialist Lecturer Esad Sadık Demirtaş said, “Using a mobile phone while driving simultaneously distracts the driver's visual, manual, and cognitive attention, leading to reduced environmental awareness and a significant increase in reaction time.”
Demirtaş noted that current scientific findings reveal that mobile phone use negatively affects attention levels not only during driving but also shortly after a call. He added, “Studies have found that texting while driving increases the risk of a rear-end collision by approximately 23 times. In contrast, handheld phone calls have been stated to increase this risk by 4 times.”
Üsküdar University Vocational School of Health Services Deputy Director Lecturer Esad Sadık Demirtaş drew attention to the alarming increase in traffic accidents due to mobile phone use while driving.
Significant increase in traffic accidents due to mobile phone use
İş Health and Safety Specialist Lecturer Esad Sadık Demirtaş, stating that a significant increase in traffic accidents due to mobile phone use has been observed in recent years both globally and in Turkey, said, “Considering that the human brain has a very sensitive structure, especially in terms of distraction, it is quite difficult to perform multiple tasks simultaneously in a healthy manner. Using a mobile phone while driving simultaneously distracts the driver's visual, manual, and cognitive attention, leading to reduced environmental awareness and a significant increase in reaction time. This situation significantly increases the risk of accidents, especially in traffic scenarios requiring sudden decisions. Existing scientific findings show that mobile phone use negatively affects attention levels not only during driving but also shortly after a call. In this regard, it is of great importance for drivers to absolutely avoid using mobile phones while driving, to conduct effective awareness campaigns to increase traffic safety awareness at a societal level, and to implement highly deterrent legal regulations.”
Distraction while driving is a significant risk factor for traffic safety
Pointing out that distraction while driving is a significant risk factor for traffic safety, Demirtaş said, “In this context, using a mobile phone, especially for making calls, answering incoming calls, or dialing numbers, causes the driver's attention to deviate from the road and disrupts mental concentration. Such cognitive and visual attention losses prolong the driver's reaction time to environmental stimuli and negatively affect their ability to make correct decisions in sudden traffic situations. Research shows that individuals using a mobile phone while driving have a significantly higher probability of having an accident compared to those who do not. Therefore, restricting mobile phone use while driving is considered an important preventive strategy in reducing traffic accidents.”
Is there a risk difference between talking on the phone and texting?
Emphasizing that mobile phone use is one of the main factors leading to distraction while driving, Demirtaş continued:
“However, there are significant differences in the level of distraction between talking on the phone and texting. While talking on the phone primarily causes cognitive distraction, the act of texting simultaneously triggers visual, manual, and cognitive distraction. This situation causes the driver to take their eyes off the road, their hands off the steering wheel, and their mind to drift away from driving. Research conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has found that texting while driving increases the risk of a rear-end collision by approximately 23 times. In contrast, handheld phone calls have been stated to increase this risk by 4 times. The data obtained clearly shows that texting poses a much higher threat in terms of traffic accident risk.”
Mobile phone use poses a serious traffic safety problem for young drivers
Lecturer Esad Sadık Demirtaş also stated that there is a significant relationship between mobile phone addiction and traffic accident risk among young drivers, saying, “Research reveals that drivers in this age group are distracted due to mobile phone use, and this significantly increases the risk of accidents. A study found that 58% of accidents involving young drivers were due to distraction. 12% of these distractions were directly linked to mobile phone use. Furthermore, it was determined that young drivers took their eyes off the road for an average of 4.1 seconds before an accident. These findings clearly show that mobile phone use poses a serious traffic safety problem for young drivers.”
The danger doesn't end when the phone is hung up
Lecturer Esad Sadık Demirtaş explained that according to a report prepared by the Traffic Department of the General Directorate of Security, drivers talking on mobile phones sometimes completely fail to notice dangerous situations around them. He concluded, “In this context, while the probability of drivers failing to notice a dangerous situation during a simple phone call is approximately 20 percent, this rate was found to increase to 29 percent during a mentally demanding conversation. According to the same report, the probability of an accident occurring within the first 5 minutes after a phone call is completed is 4.8 times higher, and within 15 minutes, it is 1.3 times higher. In this situation, we can say that after the conversation ends, a person's focus might still be on that conversation, increasing the likelihood of an accident.”
