Rules around motorists interacting with smartphones set to be loosened in overhaul of national driver distraction laws

Adelaide motorists have thrown their support behind driver distraction laws being rewritten for the first time since the smartphone era began. Find out what’s proposed and take our poll.

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South Australian drivers have overwhelming thrown their weight behind plans to update distracted driving rules to allow the use of new technology.

Confusing rules controlling distracted driving are being rewritten to keep up with new technology, allowing drivers to do far more when behind the wheel.

The National Transport Commission is reviewing laws which will keep the current ban on texting and talking on mobiles, but allow limited functions such as selecting a song.

The reasoning is that one touch of a dash-mounted phone is no more distracting that selecting music or a radio station from an on-board audio system.

Also a new “two second rule” would prevent drivers from looking away from the road for more than two seconds, no matter what the distraction.

This for the first time would control many other distractions for drivers such as children arguing, drivers reading a newspaper, a book or magazine and even handwriting.

The Advertiser’s online poll found 82 per cent of readers support the question; Should motorists be permitted limited use of mounted mobile phones while driving?

Of the 1000-plus votes already cast, only 18 per cent said no.

Many readers commenting on this story vented their frustration with the contradictory current laws.

“Having a conversation while driving can be quite distracting whether it’s over the phone (hand held or not) or in person,” Baz said.

Graham pointed out one problem with the two-second rule: “While it is good they want to try and keep pace with technology, I hate it when rules are made that are impossible to police. Realistically, how the hell could a police officer see if you looked away from the road for more than two seconds?”

Scroll down to see the main proposed changes and have your say in the comments

The proposed changes would make it legal for drivers to interact in some ways with a mounted mobile phone.

The mobile phone change is one of dozens being considered under a “hybrid” model which keeps some bans but identifies that many devices, and many functions on mobile phones, are not addressed at all in current road rules.

The existing national road rules date back to 1999, before the advent of touchscreen smartphones.

In a submission to the NTC, the RAA has thrown its weight behind the commission’s “hybrid” model.

It would keep current bans on drivers interacting with handheld mobile phones but allow limited use of phones mounted in a dock, and also permit drivers to make more use of navigation functions and voice-controlled technology such as smartwatch and laptop texts and emails.

RAA spokesman Charles Mountain told The Advertiser the new laws would also be tougher on drivers being distracted by things other than technology, for example children and animals in the cabin.

“These rules will make it easier to understand exactly what people can and cannot do,’’ he said

“Existing legislation is not effective for emerging technology like smartwatches.”

Mr Mountain said another problem was that current rules focus on technological distractions, but ignore others like children arguing in the back seat or drivers daydreaming.

In one proposed change it would be illegal for drivers to look away from the road for more than two seconds, for example to control children, pick something up from the floor, read a book or write something down.

A driver caught using his mobile phone while waiting at traffic lights on North Tce in July. Picture: Tait Schmaal

“This will lead to a much better understanding of what all the distractions are in a vehicle other than a mobile phone,’’ Mr Mountain said.

“For example a car radio today is a multi-step approach to change a channel but twenty years ago was just one button.’’

The rule revamp comes after the NTC in 2018 found that in some cases software aids that made driving safer were banned by current rules.

“Innovation has made it difficult to differentiate between functions that could distract drivers and functions that may improve safety outcomes,’’ it stated.

“The Australian Road Rules do not distinguish between functions likely to cause distraction and those needed for the driving task or where they can improve driving performance.’’

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Many devices, and many functions on mobile phones, are not addressed at all in current road rules.

Currently banned or restricted — but proposed by the NTC to become legal — are UberX drivers accepting a customer by tapping on their phone screen, motorists skipping songs on Spotify by tapping the screen, or using voice control for basic phone functions.

Many experts regard these functions as no more distracting than changing the radio station on a car sound system, which is allowed.

Similarly, many one-touch modern navigation functions are deemed under the new rules to be safe.

But while taxi drivers are currently allowed to type in an address while driving, this will become illegal — as it already is for rideshare drivers.

The laws will for the first time specifically address technology such as smart watches and on-board infotainment options which provide many safe functions but until now have not been included in the legislation.

CURRENT LAWS, AND PROPOSED CHANGES