Phone ban falls on deaf ears

Dec 1 2008 Steve Hughes

A plea for people to stop using hand-held mobile phones whilst driving has been issued by the RAC on the fifth anniversary of the law supposedly banning the dangerous practice.

The RAC says that the law is widely flouted and last year 348 people were involved in accidents where the police recorded that the driver had been using a mobile phone, of which 25 were fatal.

In December 2003 it became illegal to use a hand-held phone whilst driving.

Recent RAC Foundation research has underlined the massive road safety problems caused by using mobile phones behind the wheel, particularly texting.

Carrying out the first UK research into the effects of texting while driving, the RAC Foundation and the Transport Research Laboratory used a driving simulator to study the effects of writing, reading and ignoring text messages on the driving skills of a test group of 17 - 24 year old motorists.

In all key measures of driving performance, young people who were texting and driving were badly affected:

TRL's experts concluded: 'In real-world traffic situations, it is suggested that poorer control of vehicle speed, lateral position, and increased reaction times in this situation would increase the likelihood of collision dramatically.'

Professor Stephen Glaister, Director of the RAC Foundation, said: 'The participants in this study were almost unanimous in their view that drink driving was the most dangerous action on the road.

"Yet this research clearly shows that a motorist who is texting is significantly more impaired than a motorist at the legal limit for alcohol. No responsible motorist would drink and drive. We need to ensure that text devotees understand that texting is one of the most hazardous things that can be done while in charge of a motor car.'