New South Wales drivers’ $13 million phone call

Despite copping more than $13m in fines last year, more than one-in-five NSW motorists admit¹ to receiving a phone call (23%) or a text message (22%) while driving.

Bingle spokesperson Melanie Vine said the practice isn’t just costing motorists $265 and three demerit points for each offence; it is also potentially putting lives at risk.

“While the siren song of your beeping mobile can be hard to resist, even while driving, it can be a dangerous and expensive addiction,” she said.

“Just one of these fines can significantly add to the cost of motoring, as they represent an extra five percent on top of the average annual cost of keeping a car on the road².

“Using your mobile while driving in a school zone significantly ups the ante, increasing the fine to $353 while chewing-up almost a third of your overall demerit points if you have an open licence, with a loss of four points.

“Perhaps unsurprisingly, Bingle’s research¹ found the younger you are the more likely you are to be distracted by your mobile while driving.

Overall, drivers aged 18-24 were six times more likely (at 44 percent) to admit to being distracted by a text message than those aged 50 and over (7 percent).

In the last financial year, 50,771 NSW motorists were issued a fine for using a mobile phone while driving, adding up to $13,181,564³. Less than two percent, or 961 of these fines, were issued in a school zone.

“Motorists need to remember that while a hands-free device can reduce the effort of making and receiving calls, it doesn't necessarily make it safer to use a phone while driving. If you lose control of the vehicle at any time while using a mobile phone, it becomes an offence,” said Ms Vine.

“Those who use their smartphone as a GPS also need to be aware the legislation does not make a distinction for this. If you don’t have a dedicated GPS navigation system, it is best to have a co-pilot use the phone to direct you while you drive.

“Driving safely and avoiding fines, running a fuel efficient car or getting the right insurance for your needs can all make a significant difference to how much it costs to run a car each year.”

Research summary¹:

• About one in five NSW motorists admit to becoming distracted by text messages (22 percent) or phone calls (23 percent) on their mobile while driving
• Drivers aged 18-24 (44 percent) are six times more likely to be distracted by a text message than those aged 50 and older (7 percent)
• Drivers with a GPS are more likely to be distracted by both texting or receiving a call (27 percent) than those without (16 percent)
• Those with a provisional or probationary licence (37 percent) were almost twice as likely as those with a full license (22 percent) to become distracted by text messages on their mobile

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1. This Bingle research was conducted by Newspoll and is based on an independent internet survey of 3,740 Australian drivers, 18 years of age and older, across all states and territories in 2011. Collected data has been weighted in line with current ABS population demographics to ensure any extrapolation of results is representative of age, sex and area.
2. This section of Bingle’s research was conducted in 2011 by Newspoll and is based on an independent internet survey of 602 Australians across all states and territories.This annual figure includes fuel, service, repairs, registration, insurance, and other costs, such as cleaning, detailing, tyres, parking and tolls.
3. From the Office of State Revenue NSW

For further information or to organise an interview, please contact:

Melanie Vine
Bingle Car Insurance
(0459) 800 621