Young are most likely to talk on phone at the wheel

YOUNG drivers are most likely to talk on the phone while driving, according to a new survey.

A poll by road safety charity Brake also found that phone calls with family members were the most common reason drivers had used their mobile.

Campaigners urged motorists not to use the “life-threatening distractions” as almost 13 million drivers were set to hit the road over the bank holiday weekend.

Of 1,000 people surveyed about hand-held and handsfree calls in the last year, almost a quarter admitted talking to a family member while driving, while 17 per cent said they had taken a work-related call and 15 per cent spoke to a friend.

For motorists aged between 17 and 24 though, the figures rose to 35 per cent for family calls, 49 per cent for work calls and 21 per cent for conversation with friends.

Brake said two-thirds of drivers had admitted driving for longer than two hours without a break, despite research suggesting concentration diminishes over time.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, said use of the devices was “risking devastating crashes and loss of life”.

“It is a sobering thought that a significant number of these life-threatening distractions come from drivers’ own friends and family,” she said. “That’s why we’re urging people to put their loved ones safety first by refusing to speak to them on the phone while they are driving.

“Our appeal to drivers this weekend, and year-round, is take regular breaks, at least every two hours, and use these for calls and to recharge. No call or message is so important that it can’t wait until you’re off the road.”