Concerns over in-car infotainment systems as UK road death rates plateau

Number of casualties remains unchanged since 2010 despite significant advancements in safety tech

Concerns over in-car infotainment systems as UK road death rates plateau

Failure to reduce casualties on UK roads could be a result of infotainment systems and mobile phones driving motorists to distraction, the Department for Transport (DfT) has this week suggested.

Officials are alarmed that the rate of casualties has remained unchanged since 2010, despite significant improvements in the safety of vehicles.

Currently, five people die on the roads and 68 are seriously injured every day.

The DfT yesterday announced a major review to address ‘public disquiet’ over the state of road policing.

Related: Least and most distracting in-car infotainment systems revealed

In a ‘call for evidence’ document, the DfT said: “Vehicles have become inherently safer with more warning systems alerting the driver to maintenance issues and growing safety focused automation and driver assistance systems.

“At the same time advances in car infotainment systems and mobile phone technology mean that there are increasing sources of potential distraction for drivers.”

In 2018 the chief executive of Highways England, Jim O’Sullivan, criticised “touchscreens with small, fiddly buttons” and said the agency “doesn’t like them from a safety perspective”.

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