Joint initiative of the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), which is responsible for raising awareness, and the Public Security Police (PSP) and National Republican Guard (GNR), responsible for monitoring the roads.
The PSP and GNR will be on the road for the next eight days alerting drivers to the risks of using a cell phone while driving, in an inspection and awareness-raising operation, it was announced today.
The road safety campaign “At the wheel, your cell phone can wait” runs from this Tuesday, May 7th, to May 13th.
The joint initiative of the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), which is responsible for raising awareness, and the Public Security Police (PSP) and National Republican Guard (GNR), responsible for monitoring the roads, especially those with greater circulation, is part of in the 2024 National Inspection Plan (PNF).
The planned inspection actions are: Tuesday, at 9:00 am, on Complementary Itinerary (IC) 2, at kilometer 33, in Lisbon; Wednesday, at 3pm, on Rua Coronel Armando da Silva Maçanita, Portimão; Thursday, at 08:00, Almodôvar service area, in the North/South direction; Friday, at 10 am, Avenida Lino de Carvalho, in Évora; and on May 13th, at 2 pm, on Estrada Nacional (EN) 18, at kilometers 171/100, in Portalegre.
“Taking place between the 7th and 13th of May, this campaign aims to alert drivers to the negative and even fatal consequences of improper use of a cell phone while driving”, reads a joint statement from the entities responsible for the campaign.
ANSR, PSP and GNR remind that “using a cell phone while driving increases the likelihood of having an accident by four times, causing an increase in reaction time to unforeseen situations”.
“At 50 km/h, looking at your cell phone for three seconds is the same as driving a distance of 42 meters blindfolded, the equivalent of a queue of 10 cars”, they maintain.
The entities reinforce that “the use of a cell phone while driving is a risk to the safety of oneself and others”, highlighting that the “use of electronic devices while driving causes difficulties in interpreting signs and disrespect for the rules of giving way, particularly in relation to pedestrians”.
The campaign that begins Tuesday is the fifth of 12 inspection campaigns planned for 2024.
By the end of the year, seven more campaigns will be carried out, one per month, with awareness-raising and inspection actions.
