Illegal mobile phone use by drivers is rising, according to new research that found 31% of motorists admitted to using a handheld phone behind the wheel compared with 8% in 2014. The survey of 1,714 UK motorists for the RAC’s annual Report on Motoring found that 7% of those who admitted using a mobile while driving said they did it because they knew they would get away with it. RAC road safety spokesman Pete Williams said: “There is clear evidence that the illegal use of handheld phones by drivers to talk, text, tweet, post, browse and even video call is, if anything, on the increase. “The use of handheld mobile phones is the biggest road safety concern among motorists today.”The government is due to publish the results of a consultation that proposed introducing tougher punishments for illegal mobile use by drivers. For non-HGV drivers, the minimum fine is expected to rise from £100 to £150 while penalty points are set to increase from three to four.

Source: The Guardian September 14, 2016 23:01 UTC