As part of the Road Safety Plan 2021, the government outlined its plans to introduce camera-based technology to enforce mobile phone use offences.
The government is now publicly seeking practical, technology-based solutions to address the problem.
Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey said developing the technology would be a world first.
“It’s worth remembering that at 60 kilometres per hour, a car travels 33 metres in two seconds,” Mrs Pavey said.
“Take your eyes off the road to look at your phone for a few seconds and you continue to travel, virtually blind.”
From 2012-17, there were 184 crashes that involved illegal use of a mobile phone. These crashes resulted in seven deaths and 105 injuries.
In the 2016-17 financial year, over 40,000 people were fined by the NSW Police for illegal mobile phone use.
The government is currently addressing illegal mobile phone use through education campaigns, a total mobile phone ban for learner, P1 and P2 drivers, and police enforcement.
Find out more about the Road Safety 2021 plan