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Preventing mobile phone use while driving: Appreciating the equivocal nature of identity, safety and legality in an uncertain world

Savigar, Leanne

Preventing mobile phone use while driving: Appreciating the equivocal nature of identity, safety and legality in an uncertain world Thumbnail


Authors

Leanne Savigar



Abstract

Mobile phone use while driving is a major concern for, but is also performed by, many drivers on UK roads (RAC, 2017b), with 40% of drivers admitting to using a mobile phone illegally (Ibid). This thesis presents a mixed methods exploration of mobile phone use while driving, with a focus on one particular educational approach to tackling the problem. Whilst the educational course in question appeared to have considerable benefits upon a range of attitudes and behaviours, many aspects of social life were found to compete with that, as well as with other attempts to tackle mobile phone use while driving.
The speed of technological as well as social change necessitates that individuals ‘keep up’ with the pace of life (Rosa, 2013), however, a law that prohibits mobile phone use while driving was found to prevent many forms of acceleration in this way; it inhibits the use of a mobile phone as a communication device, a form of identity-presentation, and even a tool of work. Furthermore, the malleable and changing nature of risk surrounding the behaviour and who can be considered ‘expert’ (Beck, 1992: 29), was found to create difficulties for individuals in understanding those actions that are ‘risky’ and not. Consequently, individuals often failed to recognise the risk of their own actions but did recognise the risk of others’, somewhat influencing perceptions of fairness in interactions with the police. Despite this, an offer of education as an alternative to prosecution was shown to have the ability to enhance perceptions of fairness of police work in various ways.
The thesis concludes that mobile phone use while driving is an action symptomatic of postmodernity; concerned with time, productivity, connectivity, identity and uncertainty. These should be considered in any innovation dedicated to creating safer roads and research project attempting to explore the issue.

Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024

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