A total number of summons issued to drivers for illegal mobile usage has increased 46% from 1,169 between January to June last year to 1,705 over the same period this year. Samsung also commissioned a survey of 513 adults with drivers’ licenses and who had driven in the past four weeks on Singapore roads which found that majority of 83% of the Singapore drivers surveyed admitted to using their mobile phones, without a hands-free kit while at the wheel in the last 12 months. Complacency was the key cause of this unsafe behavior. Other commonly cited reasons for using their mobile phones in an unsafe manner while driver were the pressure to respond quickly to work, friends and family, the feeling of confidence in their driving abilities and proficiency at multi-tasking, and the feeling that they had to check on their mobile phones.
This is why companies such as Chevron forbid their employees to answer phone calls or text while driving. Employee safety on the road is more important than answering to business calls immediately while driving.
To encourage safe driving behavior, Samsung developed the “Eyes on the Road” mobile app that helps drivers switch off mobile distractions when they get into their cars by activating the Drive Safe mode. Once the Drive Safe mode is activated, the app silences calls, text messages and social media notifications. To get the notifications when you arrive at your destination, just deactivate the app.
The app can be downloaded from Google Play for free from 6 November and from Samsung Apps from 18 November.
Be the first 135 drivers in each month to hit 200km of mobile phone distraction free driving or the first 50 drivers in each month from 6 November 2013 to 31 January 2014 to reach 1,000km, 2,000km and 3,000km of mobile phone distraction free driving can win up to S$120 worth of MSIG premium vouchers and Shell fuels. The distance travelled by drivers mobile phones free will be calculated by the app based on the distance travelled using the Drive Safe mode. There are more than S$23,000 worth of MSIG premium and Shell fuels vouchers to be won.
Samsung has also launched a Facebook app that calls for people to commit to not using their mobile phones while driving called “Pledge Your Attention”.
