The growing adoption of smartphone usage in everyday life is starting to influence decisions made by governments all over the world. Over in The Netherlands, a new draft law is being prepared which will effectively ban smartphone usage while riding a bicycle. Internal research unveiled that using this device while on the road is a grave cause for concern.
Riding A Bike With A Smartphone Is An Offense
It has to be said that people who are out in public tend to look at their smartphone screens quite a lot. While there is nothing wrong with that while waiting for a red light or something similar, that is not the only time when people do so. Driving on the road, be it with a car, bicycle, or motorcycle, requires focusing on the road with hands on the steering wheel at any given time.
Unfortunately, that is not how things go, as people are overconfident when it comes to using their smartphones in public. Most people have witnessed someone riding a bicycle who is simultaneously holding a phone with two hands and not paying attention to the road. This does not seem to be a cause for concern to a lot of people, but it is, in fact, a dangerous way to conduct oneself while on the road.
The Dutch government wants to address this situation sooner rather than later. A draft law has been created which will make the usage of smartphones while riding a bike illegal. While this concept still has to be approved before it can go into effect, it sets a precedent for similar legislation in the rest of the world.
Operating a touch screen while riding a bicycle is a circus act on its own. While most people can drive their bikes with their knees just fine, it is not advisable to do so at high speeds. Unfortunately, this seems to be the scenario during which most cyclists operate their smartphones, greatly reducing their ability to respond to whatever is happening around them.
Although most people are all too aware of the risks involved, the younger generation is not too concerned about using their smartphones while riding a bike. Improving road security is vital to the Dutch government, and going after one of the biggest threats is a smart decision. Contrary to what most people may assume, humans are incapable of multitasking while on the road.
Research into prohibiting smartphone usage while driving a bike started in May of 2016. Last year the Dutch government launched a dedicated campaign alerting people about the dangers of handling touchscreens while cycling. It is clear that the message did not persuade people from focusing on the road, rather than tapping a screen.
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