A young man has just been sentenced for causing a serious road accident. And for good reason: he was driving while watching Netflix. A double activity of which this unconscious had acquired the sad habit.
We can’t say it enough, but be careful when driving! Your life, those of your passengers and other drivers depend on it! It is not for nothing that calling, putting on makeup, holding a smartphone in your hand, and wearing a headset or headphones are prohibited while driving. But it seems that the phone is not the only addiction that plagues some drivers.
On December 5, 2024, a 26-year-old man was sentenced to twelve months in prison by the Mende court, in Lozère, for endangering the lives of others, reports France Bleu Gard Lozere. He was tried for having caused, in 2022, a serious road accident on the A75 motorway which links Clermont-Ferrand to Béziers, in the commune of Antrenas. He had hit a truck at high speed following a careless mistake. And for good reason, while driving, he watched a streaming film on Netflix…
Netflix while driving: a very bad way to stay awake…
In fact, his smartphone was placed on his dashboard and was broadcasting a feature film. The driver therefore showed inattention and unconsciousness; when he tried to move back onto a lane, he collided with a truck at full speed, causing a serious accident. He justified his action by the fact that the films allowed him to stay awake when he spent several hours on the road.
Remember that the Highway Code indicates that “the fact of placing in the field of vision of the driver of a vehicle in circulation a device in operation equipped with a screen and not constituting an aid to driving or navigation is prohibited”. These acts are punishable by a fine of 1,500 euros, or even 3,000 euros in the event of a repeat offense, and may result in “the confiscation of the device which was used or was intended to commit the offense”as well as “the reduction of three points on the driving license”.
This news item should not make you smile, because the consequences could have been much more dramatic. Especially since this young man is far from being the only one to indulge in watching while driving! According to the road safety barometer presented at the end of September by Axa Prévention80% of motorists admit to using their cell phone on the road. The smartphone has become so omnipresent in our lives that, even when driving, we can’t help but use it. More precisely, 46% of motorists say they use the phone while driving, 66% use it for guidance functions, 31% to consult or send an SMS, 22% to check their notifications, 12% to read emails, 6% to take photos, and 5% for watching series or videos on the Internet. But is it really worth risking your life and that of others?
Let us hope that this sanction serves as an example to all dangerous unconscious people who think they can control everything when they drive. Watching a video while driving is simply unacceptable!