51 % against any talking on the phone while driving
Around half of Swiss drivers are in favor of a general ban on using the telephone at the wheel - even hands-free telephony should be prohibited. This survey result can be read in the BFU's Safety Barometer 2020. The barometer shows how safety is developing on Swiss roads - and that there is still great potential for improvement, especially in urban areas.
Driving a car and talking on the phone at the same time - this topic divides the Swiss population. The BFU's Safety Barometer 2020 shows: 51 % of the drivers surveyed would be in favor of a general ban on using the phone at the wheel. Also the Phone with a hands-free system would then be prohibited. Today, the police and the courts generally only punish people for using a cell phone while driving if they hold it to their ear or operate it while driving.
The gut feeling of this half of the respondents corresponds to the scientific findings. Because accident research proves it: Anyone who talks on the phone while driving increases their own risk of an accident. This also applies if a hands-free system is used. Although this leaves the driver's hands free, he or she is distracted while driving. Distraction and inattention of various kinds led to 43 fatalities and more than 1,000 injuries in traffic accidents last year. Seriously injured guided.
Fewer accidents, but too many drunk drivers
Overall, there are fewer and fewer heavy vehicles on Swiss roads. Accidents - This is also shown by the new safety barometer. However, with 187 people still killed and 3639 seriously injured last year, much remains to be done. Accidents under the influence of drugs and medication, for example, are not decreasing. And drunk driving is more common in Switzerland than in most other European countries. Current figures from an international survey make people sit up and take notice: 34 % of Swiss respondents said they had driven under the influence of alcohol in the previous month. By comparison, 5 % in Hungary, 18 % in Germany, 20 % in Italy and 29 % in France said this.
Intraurban progress is smaller
Fewer serious accidents than a few years ago are occurring on roads outside built-up areas and on freeways, as the Safety Barometer 2020 continues to show. In contrast, the number of accidents in built-up areas is hardly decreasing. This is regrettable, because accidents with serious injuries happen most frequently in built-up areas.
In addition to infrastructure measures, it is the road users themselves who are called upon to take action. For example, distraction by smartphones: Half of all pedestrians sometimes use a smartphone while walking. There are also many people on foot and on bicycles who are dressed in dark clothing - light-colored, reflective clothing is more visible and therefore safer. Lower speed limits could also reduce the number of serious accidents in built-up areas. A majority supports this: 59 % are in favor of a speed limit of 30 km/h in villages and neighborhoods, and 50 km/h only on main roads.
More info
