Distracted Driving: Situation in Austria

UNCLAS VIENNA 000198

SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/S NANCY CARTER-FOSTER AND EUR/CE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SOCI UNDP UNGA EU AU
SUBJECT: Distracted Driving: Situation in Austria

REF: State 6703


1. SUMMARY: Per reftel, this cable describes Austrian measures to
combat "distracted driving" caused by operating electronic devices.
The GoA Transport Ministry referred us to the Austrian Road Safety
Board (RSB - www.kfv.at/english/),a public/private organization to
which the GoA has essentially "outsourced" road safety issues. RSB
analyzes road data, proposes policy, issues reports, and maintains
national road safety statistics. The following cable is based on
information provided by RSB Vice Director Armin Kaltenegger. END
SUMMARY.


2. In Austria, using mobile phones while driving has been prohibited
by law since 1999. The Road Travel Act Article 102 (2) reads as
follows: "Phone calls while driving (NOTE: interpreted to include
texting) are prohibited without using hands-free equipment." The
fine for violations -- originally just EUR 25 -- was doubled in
2008, but remains low relative to fines for other unsafe behaviors
such as speeding. If distracted driving triggers "grave driving
errors" an administrative fine of up to EUR 2,180 can be imposed;
however, cellphone use while driving is not/not included in
Austria's cumulative "point system" that leads to license revocation
of after repeated violations. RSB and other traffic experts have
pressed to include distracted driving in that system.


3. RSB believes that higher fines for phone use in cars may have
contributed to a reduction in accidents and fatalities in 2008 and
2009, but there is no statistical evidence since road accident
statistics do not code whether accidents are "caused" by phone use.
Since distraction and negligence are recognized to be number one
overall cause of road accidents, RSB acknowledges that mobile phones
remain a significant safety problem. The number of tickets issued
phone use while driving has risen markedly (86,000 in 2006, 95,000
in 2007, 116,000 in 2008).

Austrian Poll Data on Phone Use While Driving
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4. According to a 2009 RSB study, 78% of all drivers in Austria use
cell phones in the car. 48% of drivers have hands-free equipment in
the car, but only 53% of those with the equipment "always" use it.
(Note: RSB points at results of international studies according to
which using hands-free equipment has not significantly reduced
accidents stemming from distraction).


5. While four out of ten polled in Austria acknowledge that using a
phone hampers driving significantly, 32% say they read text messages
at the wheel; 14% compose messages. According to RSB, there appears
to be an increasing pattern of texting and reading messages while
driving in Austria. In its public "Driving Safe" campaigns, RSB
advocates parking the car before texting.

Point of Contact
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6. RSB Vice Director Armin Kaltenegger is an appropriate contact
person if Washington seeks Austrian expertise on distracted driving
and related safety issues. Kaltenegger can be reached at e-mail:
armin.kaltenegger@kfv.at or telephone 43-664-3322683.

EACHO