Nomophobia puts young drivers at danger

'Nomophobia' which is the fear of smartphone withdrawal is causing distraction to the many young drivers and the result is people so distracted that they create threat on the road, a study reveals.

This phenomenon is called fomo - fear of missing out - by some while others call it as "nomophobia" - no mobile phone phobia.

Either way, Australian research reveals that it is a deadly insecurity that is making roads unsafe to a greater extent..

The biggest victims of ?nomophobia" are young people who are so worried about the missing out on something on their mobile phones that start using their phone while they are driving.

A recent Australian survey, more than half of young drivers have confessed sending text messages while they were behind wheels.

The 11th AAMI Young Drivers Index, published Thursday, has said that young drivers aged between 18- to 24-year-old are less probable to drink-drive and speed, but are more likely to be distracted by their cell phone, GPS unit, iPod, radio or CD player, says the research.

AAMI spokesman Reuben Aitchison said younger drivers are more prone to suffer from "nomophobia", as 58 percent admitted to sending or reading a text message or MMS during their drive.

"The average text takes around five seconds to read so if you are going 100kph [62mph], you'll hurtle along the length of a footy field with your eyes off the road, only one hand on the wheel and your mind elsewhere," News.com.au quoted the researchers as saying.

"It is shocking to think of relatively inexperienced drivers tearing down the road, not paying attention to what's going on around them," he added.

The survey has revealed that 46 percent of 18- to 24-year-old drivers surveyed made a cell phone from their phone to make a call without a hands-free set, while 20 percent accessed their mail accounts while driving.

Aitchison added that a third confessed to have putting information on a satellite navigation system during drive and nearly half of young drivers admitted they had lost concentration while changing music during drive.

The Advertiser has published this study.

--with inputs from ANI