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(DFT) First Anniversary of Tougher Mobile Phone Penalties: 90% Agree Using a Phone Affects Driving
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By GT at 2008-02-27 17:25
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Three quarters of people believe that drivers who use their mobile phones are needlessly risking their own and other people's safety, according to new research published a year after the introduction of tougher penalties for the offence.
The research - unveiled today by Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick - also showed that 90% of the public believe using a phone at the wheel has a negative impact on a person's driving.
On 27 February 2007 the Government introduced the tough new penalty of three penalty points for drivers caught using a hand-held mobile and increased the fine from £30 to £60. A survey of police forces in England and Wales indicates that 185,000 drivers were caught using hand-held phones in 2007, showing the police's commitment to tackling this dangerous practice.
To mark the first anniversary of the new penalty a £1.5m THINK! campaign to highlight the dangers of using a mobile phone when driving was launched on 1 February. It features TV advertising, a new radio advert and a new internet viral game.
Jim Fitzpatrick said:
"It's quite simple - driving and mobile phones don't mix. Using a mobile behind the wheel makes you four times more likely to have a crash and a phone call just isn't worth that risk.
"That is why we increased the penalty for illegally using a mobile when driving to three penalty points and a £60 fine. One year on, I am delighted to see that the vast majority of people recognise the dangers of using a mobile when driving.
"However, too many people are still putting themselves and others in danger for the sake of a phone call. I hope the first anniversary of the tougher penalties for mobile phone use will remind all drivers to switch off before they drive off or go to voicemail and listen to their messages later."
A YouGov poll carried out for the Department for Transport also showed that:- 60% of people feel annoyed when they see a motorist using a phone, while just 2% do not feel at all concerned.
- Older people are more likely to think using a mobile when driving is unacceptable - 84% of people aged 55 or over think it is totally unacceptable while 49% of 18-24-year-olds hold that view.
- Women are more likely to agree that drivers who use their mobiles are needlessly risking their own and other people's safety - 77% of those asked agreed, compared to 69% of men. The overall figure is 73%.
- Northerners are most likely to feel annoyed when they see a driver using a mobile - 63% feel this way.
- Londoners are the least likely to feel that mobile phone users are needlessly risking their own and other people's safety - 67% believe this.
- Scottish people are most likely to recognise the dangers of using a mobile when driving - 80% agree it is dangerous at any time, while 75% of all respondents felt this way.
Recent research showed a 40% reduction in the number of car drivers seen using hand-held mobiles at the wheel between September 2006 and August 2007. Just 1% of car drivers were observed using a hand-held mobile while driving, compared with 1.7% in 2006.
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