A bus driver watches his smart phone while drving on a highway in Chongqing. (Photo/cqcb.com)
(ECNS) --It has been widely noticed that drivers use their smart phones while in transit, according to a survey conducted by China Youth Daily.
The study, involving 1,701 respondents, found that 80.8 percent of people have witnessed drivers checking their phones, 45.6 percent believed these drivers too confident of their road sensibilities, and 70.8 percent suggested severe punishment.
Drivers are easily distracted by calls while driving, sometimes even checking navigation maps, sending text or voice messages, taking orders from car-hailing apps, or just finding something fun to watch, the survey revealed.
Sun Wei, a college student in Hunan province, said he had seen drivers grabbing orders from apps several times when taking a taxi, which made him worry about road safety.
Though talking on the phone while driving has been forbidden in China, most drivers have done so at some point. "A lot of drivers conducttheir own risk assessment in using phones while driving," said Wang Ying, a deputy professor with Beihang University. "Thus, they generally check their phones when encountering traffic jams, red lights, or when the road is not busy."
But having eyes on phones is more risky than talking on the phone, it was added.
Compared to drunk driving, using phones while on the road is more difficult to curb. Wang suggested strict laws being enforced. She also proposed that smart phone and electronic device makers, along with app developers, define a "driving mode" standard, while developing suitable products to meet driver needs.
