Mobile phones & cars

“A person’s behaviour can be predicted, in large part, from knowledge of the social circumstances in which it occurs” 

‘The Correspondence Bias’ Daniel T. Gilbert & Patrick S. Malone

In this blog, I would like to expand on the theme that is becoming increasingly common to see in the driving training industry regarding mobile phone use while driving. Rather than taking a critical, judgemental view on the drivers who regularly do this, I will attempt to put the activity into some kind of context.

So, to start with, have you any idea how addictive technology is these days?  This seems a reasonable question to begin with given the latest statistics that are pinging around the Net.  The majority of people are increasingly relying on technology in modern day living.  “Relying” not “choosing”.  This reliance is in our work environment as well as our private lives.  Age is no boundary, from the youngest toddlers to our senior citizens, there is a place for technology in all our lives.

The first time that I encountered how technology is going to start seriously affecting us in a work environment was in the late 1990’s.  When I was a Police Officer in London, one of my expected daily duties was to check a “Court Attendance Register”, where I had to sign within a thin line of dozens of entries to acknowledge notice that I was needed to give evidence in court on a certain date.  It was not fool-proof by any means, there were many reasons why that process broke down and the consequences of failing to attend when required were significant and expensive.  The method of these notifications was then modified by way of an email being sent requiring no action on my part whatsoever, the mere fact that I had opened the email was enough – woe betide me if I did not attend court AND had opened the email. This was the first time that I recognised the controlling nature of technology.

I mention this example because with the passing of 20 years, the degree to which technology has progressed in controlling human behaviour has increased exponentially.  And one of the most significant developments is this sense of needing it to get by.  When I was a young kid we played in the school playground with a cap gun, football or a bag of marbles.  Now, smart phones are being used to “catch Pokemon”.  When I made some chocolate and marsh-mellow cookies last night with my son, as soon as he put them in the oven, he got his iPad, taped it to the back of chair, and photographed them being cooked on a time-lapse.  The idea would never even have entered my mind…. but it was such the norm for him, he did not even mention a word of what he was doing – it was as if it was as much the ritual as was the washing of the dishes afterwards.

Technology is monitoring and controlling our behaviour all the time.  Cars have their own WIFI nowadays, the on-board information is updating automatically in real time.  The complexity of the interaction between smart phone and vehicle is quite incredible.
 

There are apps to entertain, educate, inform, motivate and pacify you – the apps can monitor your behaviour to raise your awareness, they can analyse data to offer instant and personalised feedback and they undoubtedly can control you whether you actually desire it or not.  This is where the ‘sting in the tail’ is regarding technology.  Such is our need to receive the latest financial data, breaking news, status update, reward notification, important email or send the latest selfie, play the next game level, publish the run we just did, photograph the next meal we will eat; no longer is our inter-connectedness desirable, it has become an absolute necessity.  We feel a need to thrust upon others our children’s achievements, we must see the latest batch of selected match-maker date prospects INSTANTLY, the text to the boss or customer must be responded to with immediate effect.  Our technological engagement levels within “work, rest and play” are difficult to distinguish between; it is impossible to ascertain if a person is working on the smartphone or playing, but on the phone, most people are, most of the time.  Marbles?  When did you last see a couple of kids playing marbles together?

These days, we will use our mobiles absolutely everywhere.  We don’t care if we are dining out, attending a sporting event, driving, sleeping, working – it really matters not, the device is always primed ready to interrupt us with the latest, must see instantly data.  People can be on holiday and absolutely must stay connected, they can be in the most intimate of situations with their loved ones and STILL must stay connected.  It appears that there is no “OFF” switch to technology.

And it is on THIS basis that my peers in the professional world of driving training, really do have to stop wondering why they are seeing so many drivers on mobile phones.  Attempting to “educate” a 17 year old about how they should not use their mobile while driving is a completely alien concept to them – the awareness levels can undoubtedly be raised, but does it change behaviour, will it affect attitudes and beliefs?   In issue 8 of “Driving Instructor”, Chief Constable Suzette Davenport of the National Police Chiefs’ Council says regarding drivers using mobile phones:

“We will continue to stress the dangerous consequences, and arrest offenders but we also need people to take responsibility for their behaviour behind the wheel and exert some social pressure on family and friends who take this risk”.

 

As any secondary school teacher will confirm, effective education of young adults absolutely does rely on the support and assistance of family and friends.  Raising awareness and enforcement as important as they are, really pale into insignificance compared to the overwhelming social conditioning influence of engaging on one’s mobile phone – a fact that Suzette Davenport knows only too well.

Tom Ingram is the Owner of BIG TOM Driving School - offering PAYG and Intensive Driving Courses in Peterborough, Bourne, Grantham, Sleaford, Boston, Lincoln, Stamford and Spalding.  Bookings: 0800 689 4174