Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail)

I welcome these amendments and the fact that the Bluetooth situation has been cleared up. As Bluetooth is a radio signal transmission, it was important to clarify it. Senator Burke made the point that there is probably not a great need to move from hand-held to hands-free and questioned whether it is safer. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many accidents are caused by people using telephones, which often prevent them from driving properly. I have seen people reverse articulated trucks while holding telephones to their ears. While the driver may not be involved in an accident, some of the behaviour leads to other people being involved in accidents. I welcome a move away from people taking their hands off the steering wheel to use the telephone. I also welcome the fact that the Minister has not banned the use of mobile telephones while driving because none of us could afford to stop at the roadside for the amount of time we spend on the telephone. The roadsides would become cluttered if everybody who had to take a call had to pull over. The modern technology helps to provide a safer environment and allows people to continue their journey while pursuing their busy lives. Could the definition of a hand held device include a telephone with an in-built speaker rather than a car kit? This may have been discussed already in the Dáil.

Many things can distract one slightly when driving such as having the radio on and changing channels. I am more alert with the radio off when I am driving. People eat in their cars and do all sorts of things. There are different levels of distraction. I accept Senator Paddy Burke's point that some studies have reported that even a car kit can be dangerous. I presume that constitutes a different level of danger. The Department should perhaps study the different levels of danger incurred by using a hands-free device or holding the telephone in one's hand.