Awareness-raising campaign ‘Keep your eyes on the road’ Against the use of mobile phones while driving

The Ministry of Mobility and Public Works, together with the 'Sécurité Routière asbl' and the Grand Ducal Police, has decided to launch the ‘Keep your eyes on the road’ campaign to raise road users' awareness of the dangers of mobile phone use at the wheel and to inform them about the new rules of the Highway Code.

Distracted driving is one of the main causes of road accidents. Calls, sending messages, but also the use of apps take up a lot of the driver's attention. In fact, mobile phone use can distract attention on an auditory, visual, physical and cognitive level.

A few seconds of inattention can have fatal consequences. For example, if you only glance at your mobile phone while driving at 130 km/h, you cover more than 150 metres. This distraction increases the risk of an accident threefold, and if messages are read or written while driving, the risk increases by an alarming factor of 23. Almost one in ten accidents is directly attributable to this dangerous practice.

Out of a total of 57,137 points withdrawn in 2023, mobile phone use at the wheel leads to the loss of 9,492 points, or 17%. In comparison, 32% of all points withdrawn were for speeding offences.

These figures illustrate the extent of the phenomenon and show that stricter prevention measures are needed to ensure the safety of all drivers.

In order to increase road safety for all, adjustments were introduced in 2023 to discourage drivers from giving in to this dangerous temptation: The deduction of points on driving licences has been increased from 2 to 4 points and the warning fine has been raised from 145 euros to 250 euros.

As part of the new campaign, an explanatory video has been produced that clearly illustrates the ban on talking on the phone at the wheel to ensure safe and responsible driving.

The campaign will be broadcast on the radio, in the cinema, through banners on the websites of various media, on social networks, on digital screens in the buses as well as on the full-backs of 10 buses on the RGTR network and on the top-backs of 5 buses on the TICE network. The ‘Keep your eyes on the road’ campaign will also be shown on street signs and on 72 screens in various car parks.

The campaign messages will also be broadcast on the variable message signs along the motorways.

Communicated by the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works and 'La Sécurité Routière asbl'