I have come across an interesting story titled “Road Safety Research In Australia Aims At iPod As The Villain”. This features criticism and commentary about a pedestrian road safety print campaign in Australia. It appears that the Aussies are taking lethal aim at Apple’s iPod in a fear-based road safety print campaign designed to raise awareness for an untold number of teenagers dying from crossing the road while listening to their iPods.
The author believes that the hysteria bullhorn rests in the hands of Victoria’s leading road safety research centre calling for an urgent investigation into the dangers of driving while listening to music via iPods and other portable music devices requiring earphones.
In a report by The Sydney Morning Herald, Inspector Dennis Watson, of Victoria Polices’ traffic department, openly admitted that it was difficult to determine how often music devices were a factor in crashes because information was not collected from accident sites.
Michael Lenné, a researcher from the Monash University Accident Research Centre, said that while there was plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest it could be dangerous, there was no conclusive proof, making it virtually impossible to legislate or educate against the practice.
On the Arrive Alive road safety website we gave developed a section titled “Road Safety & Pedestrian distractions while walking in traffic”. It is important to understand that an awareness campaign needs to focus on all those distractions inhibiting situational awareness and threaten pedestrian safety. These include:
• Cell phone conversations
• Text messaging
• Listening to music [i-pod]
• Looking at something other than the direction of travel
• Waving away an insect
• Conversations with friends
• Eating on the run
• Looking on one’s watch
• Attempting to find something in a backpack or luggage
• Reading a book or newspaper
• Being lost in thought etc
We would like to urge all our pedestrians to visit the Arrive Alive website for more info on:
• Road Safety & Pedestrian distractions while walking in traffic