Police: Motorists seen watching videos and using social media behind the wheel
Motorists in Northern Ireland have been spotted watching videos and using social media while driving, a senior police officer has said.
Stormont Infrastructure Committee chairwoman Deborah Erskine also said she had been astonished to hear of a driver reading a book while behind the wheel.
It comes as the number of road deaths in the region reaches 48 so far in 2024, equating to just over one death each week. There were eight such deaths in September alone.
The 48 is just two shy of the 50 recorded by the same point last year, a year which overall saw the highest number of road deaths in recent years (71).
On Tuesday, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) brought the Road Safe Roadshow 2024 to Stormont.
This included a mocked-up crash scene at the foot of the steps of Parliament Buildings as well as a hard-hitting presentation and speeches from those to have experienced fatal road crashes, to MLAs and guests.
Chief Superintendent Sam Donaldson said the roadshow is designed to communicate the impact of what can happen on the roads.
He said it has been running for 23 years and has reached around 250,000 young people.
"We thought it was important to bring the roadshow to Stormont today, we want our elected representatives and partners to realise the risks on the roads," he said.
"Our message today was very clear - to cascade these messages to your families, your friends, to your businesses and to your own organisation.
"The roads are a dangerous place, but the important message is, it's the people on the roads who make the decisions, and the decisions that we make as individuals which are causing the vast majority of collisions on our roads."
Mr Donaldson said some examples of careless driving witnessed by police include people using their phones to text, using social media and even watching videos, being distracted speaking to children and applying make-up.
"I think everyone's in a hurry now, and I don't think people realise the personal consequences, I think sometimes people think, it's only a bit of speed, it's an urgent text, but the consequences are immense and I really need people to realise that," he said.
"Drink driving, speeding, careless driving, using a phone or not wearing a seatbelt are the fatal five - they're the things that are causing the deaths on our roads.
"80,000 people were caught speeding last year by our road safety vans alone, that's unacceptable. I want to educate people, I want people to slow down, I want people not to drink drive, not to drive carelessly, to stay off their phones - these are much more important messages.
"Every single second that your eyes are not on the road is a second when you can cause carnage - you can cause a fatality. I really need people to realise that."
Ms Erskine welcomed the bringing of the roadshow to Stormont, describing an emotional and hard-hitting event.
"Unfortunately for the emergency service workers that we heard from today, this scene is not uncommon," she said and emphasised the importance of the police message on road safety.
"I drive the roads every day coming from Fermanagh and South Tyrone and I see people putting on make-up behind the wheel, I heard of one incident recently where someone was reading a book while they were driving. That is just unbelievable and unacceptable.
"We heard today people are watching movies while driving. Don't let that be you, be safe on the road, think before you get behind the wheel of any vehicle."
She added: "We launched the Road Safety Strategy, we need to see that implemented in full, we need to see funding attached to that, and certainly in terms of the committee work, we want to see advertising increased in relation to road safety to get that message out to absolutely everyone and every home that you need to be safe while driving on our roads.
"Education is key in relation to getting that road safety message out to everybody."