January 2009

Mobiles on the move.... Is the message getting through?

We know by now that motorists using a mobile phone on the move are breaking the law.

But five years on from when it was made illegal, there is still a hardcore of UK drivers who don’t let that interfere with their phone calls and text lives!

Casualty figures show that people are still being killed and injured in crashes related to mobile phones.

The most recent phone-related figures available – for 2007 - show there were 25 fatal accidents, 64 serious accidents and 259 minor accidents on Britain's roads last year.

And today many motorists - 39% in fact - believe that the law is still not being effectively enforced, according to a new motorists’ survey from car breakdown service Autonational Rescue.

The new survey also showed that 27% of motorists believed that the current punishment for being caught using a mobile while driving (that’s a £60 fine and three penalty points) is not severe enough.

That’s despite the fact that the fine was doubled in 2007 from the original £30, and can rise up to £1,000 should the case end up in court.

A minority of motorists – ten per cent – said the practise of using mobiles on the move was no more dangerous than eating or smoking, and two per cent thought using mobiles wasn’t dangerous at all!

Autonational’s marketing manager Ronan Hart said: “The casualty figures prove otherwise and I’m certain they are just the tip of the iceberg as many more accidents involving mobile phones go unreported.

“It’s also very interesting to see large numbers of motorists who think that the fines are not severe enough and that the law isn’t being enforced as well as it might be.”

Using a mobile phone on the move, unwrapping and eating food, map reading and using sat navs, lighting up a cigarette, even changing a CD, are all activities which can split your attention and badly distract a driver from watching the road ahead.

“It’s really about using good judgement and common sense on which activity might result in careless driving, and should only be done when your car is safely parked,” added Ronan.

As a motorist, you can use a hands free phone on the move but if you’re are stopped for driving poorly or carelessly by the police, who then discover you were using a mobile of any kind, you can still be prosecuted for not having proper control of your vehicle.
So the safest way to drive is never to make and receive calls on the move!

The survey was carried out by TNS Consumer Omnibus.

Autonational Rescue is the car breakdown service with the no claims bonus, for more information visit www.autonational.co.uk or call 08459 100 345.

Ends

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Issued by: CPR Works Ltd
Contact: Roger Eversley/Jenny Carr
Tel: 01902 680068
E-mail: info@cpr.co.uk
Web: www.cpr.co.uk