DRIVE& DIAL

Many think they’re unlikely to be caught using a hand held phone as convictions fall

Aquarter of motorists used their phone while driving last year, even though most think it's risky and unacceptable. A survey for the Department for Transport (DfT) in November last year found 24% of respondents (made up of motorists with phones) had used their mobile in their hand while in the car in the previous 12 months.

Currently it's illegal to text or make calls on a handheld device while driving or riding a motorcycle, including while stopped at lights or queuing in traffic.

You can only use them for handsfree texts and calls, to dial 999 in an emergency, or while parked with the engine off.

Those who break the law can get six penalty points and a £200 fine.

However, the Government has announced that from next year, drivers will also be banned from using their phones to take photos or videos, scroll through playlists or play games.

According to the DfT research, mobile phone use - both inside and outside the car - was habitual for many motorists, with 59% saying they check their phones out of habit rather than for a particular reason.

Around half (52%) of drivers regularly have their phone somewhere they can reach while driving, and two-fifths (39%) regularly have the phone somewhere they can see the screen.

Motorists in the research were typically slightly more likely to have held their phone while stationary in traffic or at traffic lights than while in motion, especially to read or type messages, or to check social media or notifications.

Younger motorists were more likely to use their phones in hand both while in motion and while stationary - 64% of those aged 16-24 have used their phone in hand while stationary and 59% have done so while in motion, while it was 59% and 56% respectively for those aged 25-34.

Despite this, most respondents thought using a handheld phone while driving was unacceptable.

The most acceptable use was looking or glancing at notifications while stationary in traffic or stopped at lights, with 19% considering that ok, falling to 5% who said it was acceptable to scroll through music while in motion.

People were also less likely to consider this behaviour acceptable while they had passengers in the car, with the research finding drivers were influenced by how it could lead to passengers feeling unsafe and anxious or because they were driving with their children.

Most motorists knew that using a handheld mobile was against the law, but half (49%) thought it was unlikely they'd be caught.

There were 4,073 convictions for using a handheld phone while driving in 2020, down from 32,547 in 2010.

Convictions have been falling steadily over the past decade, but also saw a big drop last year as lockdowns saw the number of cars on the road plummet.

Commenting on the planned law change, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Too many deaths and injuries occur while mobile phones are being held.

“By making it easier to prosecute people illegally using their phone at the wheel, we are ensuring the law is brought into the 21st century while further protecting all road users.

“While our roads remain among the safest in the world, we will continue working tirelessly to make them safer, including through our award-winning THINK! campaign, which challenges social norms among high-risk drivers.”