Using phone while driving

Hands-Free Mobile Phones
Unfortunately, in RoSPA's view, this law does not ban the use of hands-free mobile phones. Although the government accepts the evidence that using a hands-free phone while driving distracts the driver and increases the risk of an accident, they do not think a hands-free ban would be enforceable. RoSPA disagrees.

Drivers should also note that the existing law requiring drivers to be in proper control of their vehicle, or careless or dangerous driving laws can be applied to driving while using a hands-free phone, if the police believe the nature of the driving warrants it.

Despite the law and the dangers, a proportion of drivers persist in using their mobiles while driving. Surveys conducted in 2009 found that 2.9% of car drivers, and 5% of van and lorry drivers, were talking on either a hand-held or hands-free mobile phone.

As can be seen in the graphs below, the use of hand-held mobile phones by drivers reduced after the introduction of the law in 2003, then gradually rose gain, before decreasing when the penalty was increased in 2007 (marked with vertical black lines). Unfortunately, the number of drivers using hand-held and hands-free mobile phones has been increasing steadily since mid 2007. 1

Trends in Hand-held and Hands-free Mobile Phone Use by Car, Van & Lorry Drivers (Weekdays)

The Definition of Driving
Under existing law a person may be regarded as "driving" a vehicle while the engine is running and the vehicle is stationary. The offence applies to all motor vehicles, including motorcycles, but not apply to pedal cycles.

Hopefully this will stop people from using there phones etc while driving and it would cut down on accidents and injuries and deaths.Mobile phones are biggest cause of road fatalities

DRIVERS admit their concen­tration is disturbed by passengers but the deadliest distraction is the mobile phone.

By JOHN INGHAM
PUBLISHED: 00:01, Tue, Jul 22, 2014



Department for transport, car crash, car deaths mobile phones, on phone whilst driving, driving with phone, texting whilst driving, phone driving death figures show that mobile phones are biggest accident risk.

The biggest in-car cause of fatalities is motorists texting, tweeting and taking calls.

An AA poll of 18,000 members found 38 per cent had been distracted by other people, radios, phones and sat-navs in the past 12 months. Of the nearly 7,000 who admitted losing concentration, 548 reported a near-miss and 106 had crashed.

Eighteen per cent said adult passengers were most at fault, 14 per cent blamed children, 13 per cent took their eye off the road to twiddle with their sat-nav and 12 per cent their mobile phone.

Of the 88 deaths caused by distractions in 2012, 17 were due to mobile use
Department for Transport
Official figures show mobile phones pose the biggest accident risk to drivers.

The Department for Transport said that of 88 deaths caused by distractions in 2012, 17 were due to mobile use – a higher death rate than other in-car causes.

Last week Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin hinted the penalty points for using a hand-held phone at the wheel could be doubled to six. Millions of us are breaking the law on texting at wheel of the car, AA president Edmund King, called for “smart” features on in-car devices to block them from use at the wheel, adding: “The higher kill rate for mobile phone-related reported accidents provides a strong wake-up call.”