A third of UK drivers regularly break basic road law - and it could be costly

Drivers could face six points on their licence for even touching their mobile phone
Drivers could face six points on their licence for even touching their mobile phone
Warwickshire Police
Paige Creaney

By Paige Creaney


Published: 23/02/2023

- 15:07

Updated: 23/02/2023

- 15:09

Since 25 March 2022 it is illegal for drivers and those supervising learner drivers to use a handheld mobile phone whilst driving

Motorists are being urged to park their car before talking on the phone so they can "give them their full attention".

It comes after a survey carried out for the RAC Report on Motoring 2020 indicated that the growing popularity of FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Snapchat for video calls is posing a new and present danger on UK roads.

The survey found that 29 per cent of drivers of all ages in 2020 said they make and receive calls on handheld phones when driving, with younger drivers more likely to do so and those in the 25 to 44 age group also statistically more likely to break the law.

File photo dated 23/12/22 of traffic on the A13 in London. Motorists could be stuck in congestion nearly twice as bad as current levels if self-driving cars become commonplace, a Government report warns. Department for Transport (DfT) traffic projections for England and Wales show delays may rise by up to 85% from 2025 to 2060 in that scenario. Issue date: Sunday January 15, 2023.
Young drivers are said to be the main culprit for using their handheld device while driving
Aaron Chown

It's said that the reason for such high numbers could be because drivers don’t want to miss out on what friends are wearing, eating or watching.

However, motorists are being reminded that by using a handheld mobile while driving, they risk losing their licence or crashing.

A reminder has also been issued to drivers that using the excuse of trying to keep your job to justify using a handheld mobile while driving actually puts their job at risk.

Motorists could receive a £200 fine and six points on their licence, and if they're within the first two years of passing their test they could lose their license and have to retake their theory and practical tests again.

Police have said drivers should turn off their mobile phone before starting their journey, and put it out of reach to avoid temptation.

It has also been suggested that avoiding snacking at the wheel and setting up the SatNav before setting off can improve quality of driving.

Sergeant Shaun Bridle from Warwickshire Police said: “When you are driving it is essential that you keep your full attention on the road. Your safety, the safety of your passengers and the safety of other road users is paramount.

“Your parents, family, or friends, really would not want you to have a collision potentially injuring yourself or someone else because you are distracted by calling or texting them.

“The safest thing to do is to wait until you are safely parked before using your mobile, or other device.”

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The national campaign will see drivers penalised for engaging with their mobile phone
Stefan Rousseau

Chair of Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership and Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: "We are keen to do everything we can to help educate young drivers around the risks of being distracted whilst driving.

"This is because we know that a young driver’s risk of crashing increases by 12 per cent for every passenger in the car."

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