Dr Gemma Briggs (Open University), Dr Helen Wells (Keele University) and Dr Leanne Savigar-Shaw (Staffordshire University) have been awarded funding by the Road Safety Trust to carry out some research on the impact of education on the policing of distracted driving.

The project involves collaboration with two police forces (West Midlands Police and West Mercia police) and is focused on understanding the interactions police officers have with mobile phone offenders. The project will make use of the OU's interactive activity ‘are you a focused driver?’ to help educate and inform police officers on the dangers of hands free phone use by drivers. The aim is to work with police officers to understand their attitudes to phone use, their experiences in stopping people for using their phones behind the wheel, and the approach they take to road side education.

Ultimately, the findings will aim to inform guidelines/education on best practice in interactions between police officers and mobile phone offenders, with view to promoting both legality and safety.

We will publish updates as the 14 month project progresses.

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