SYDNEY, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Two out of three Aussie motorists would embrace voluntary apps that restrict the use of mobile phones while driving, a new study on Tuesday has shown.
The Queensland University of Technology Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety surveyed 712 drivers around the country, to find that 68 percent of motorists would be willing to use such an app, which could block text messaging, web browsing and email.
"Mobile phone use is so ingrained in our society that completely stopping people from using their phones while driving is an extremely difficult task," study leader Dr. Oscar Oviedo-Trespalacios said.
"Police crash reports in the United States have estimated that phone distraction contributes to 18 percent of all fatal crashes," he said.
"Using voluntary apps that restrict some phone functions is emerging as a practical new countermeasure to limit distracted driving," he added.
Although the majority of motorists were willing to back the introduction of such technology, the research indicated that drivers still want the ability to make hands-free calls and listen to Bluetooth music.
"For the apps to gain acceptance, it's important that they retain hands-free calling and music functions, while still limiting the most dangerous actions - actually touching the phone to text, email and scroll," Oviedo-Trespalacios said.
"I would also advocate an opt-out system, rather than opt-in, for pre-installed driver safety apps on phones as this would encourage greater use," he said.
While a number of mobile phone blocking apps do already exist, the study also found that among the population, the familiarity and use of these technologies remains low.
Although Oviedo-Trespalacios admits a lot more work needs to be done in order to increase public knowledge and acceptance, "the good news is that once drivers learned about these apps, there was a willingness to use them," he said.
