An observation survey conducted in Parkes, Forbes and Condobolin has revealed that people are continuing to use mobile phones and not wear seat belts while driving, with the worst figures coming out of Forbes.
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While the three shire areas recorded a combined 99.1 per cent seat belt wearing rate and a 0.8 per cent mobile phone usage rate, there was still 101 drivers in total spotted not complying.
The surveys are conducted bi-annually in the three towns, aimed to measure, monitor and improve local seat belt wearing rates and the number of drivers abiding by mobile phone legislation.
Road safety and injury prevention officer, Melanie Suitor, said that there is an urban and highway location in each town.
"Our survey staff conduct the observations for an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon at both locations,” she said.
"The results show that our combined seat belt wearing rate is quite good at 99.1 per cent, which is higher than the state average of 98 per cent.”
Based on the results, the best location was the Parkes highway (in the afternoon) which recorded 100 per cent compliance.
The worst location was the Forbes urban (in the morning) with a 96 per cent wearing rate and 14 people observed unrestrained.
"Although it has been compulsory to wear seat belts in NSW since 1971, each year on average there are more than 30 people killed and 270 injured who were not wearing seat belts,” Ms Suitor said.
“Many of these deaths and injuries could have been prevented if seat belts had been used.
"So while our seat belt wearing rate is better than the state average, it is disappointing to report that 59 people were observed not wearing a seat belt.”
The results of the mobile phone observation survey were better, but observers still found 42 motorists using a mobile phone while driving.
"Three survey locations [recorded] 0 per cent - Condobolin highway (in the morning), Parkes urban (in the morning) and Parkes highway (in the afternoon),” Ms Suitor said.
“The worst location was Forbes urban (in the morning) with a 4.2 per cent usage rate and 13 people observed using a mobile phone while driving.
"Driving is a complex task. Anything that takes your mind or eyes off the road, or your hands off the wheel, not only compromises your safety, but that of everyone else on the road.
“Being distracted increases your chances of having a crash. It slows down your reaction times and puts you in danger of failing to see hazards such as stop signs or other road users, including pedestrians and cyclists.”
Ms Suitor said her team will continue conducting these observation surveys since it gives them a great insight into current local driver and passenger behaviour.
“We will also be developing, implementing and evaluating a low cost education campaign aimed at improving the usage rates," she said.
