We can’t stress this enough. After last week’s alarming report on the rising number of road accident victims, today we focus on one of the deadliest causes: using a mobile phone while driving. This danger must be reiterated again and again, and raising awareness is essential.
In Lebanon, roads continue to claim lives with chilling indifference. More than 40 people died in August alone, and YASA, the Youth Association for Social Awareness, warns that the total number of victims could surpass a thousand by year’s end. These figures highlight a growing and deadly crisis.
Beyond speeding, ignoring red lights or driving the wrong way, one habit is increasingly lethal: phone use behind the wheel. “The majority of road accidents, I repeat every single day without exception, are caused by mobile phone use,” warns Tony Wahbe, a YASA volunteer. He emphasizes that the government must launch a nationwide awareness campaign and that law enforcement should strengthen monitoring.
The scenes are all too familiar. Drivers fixated on screens for directions, changing lanes without looking or texting while oblivious to the road. “We witness it daily. Drivers using their phones are responsible for serious accidents,” stresses Wahbe.
Two people interviewed today, who asked to remain anonymous, shared their experiences. One described a near-disaster. Absorbed in his phone, he looked up just in time to see a car heading straight for him. A sudden brake saved him from a collision by inches.
The other recounted a less dramatic but equally telling incident. Twice, distracted by his screen, he missed highway exits, losing 50 minutes to backtrack. “Even without a crash, phone use disrupts, slows and tires drivers. It is a habit that must be fought,” he explains.
Experts offer the same advice: use hands-free kits, place phones on visible mounts and, above all, resist reading or sending messages while driving. On Lebanon’s already dangerous roads, even a momentary glance away can cost a life.
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