The RAC has urged police forces to ramp up detection of phone use at the wheel as it warns that 25% of all drivers still make or receive voice calls illegally with hand-held phones.
While today marks the 17th anniversary of handheld mobile phone use becoming punishable by points on a licence, the RAC – a partner at this year’s Great British Fleet Event – warns that illegal phone use is still rife.
Its latest Report on Motoring reveals that illegal mobile phone use is drivers’ fourth biggest overall motoring concern, behind the state of the roads, fuel prices and the poor standard of driving on the UK’s roads.
But 25% of drivers across all age groups admit to making or receiving voice calls illegally while driving; a figure that rises to 49% of younger drivers aged 17-24.
And three in 10 (30%) under-25s admit to video calling while driving, up from 17% in 2022. That’s despite the fact that rules introduced in March 2022 make it illegal to use a handheld phone behind the wheel for any use.
RAC road safety spokesman Rod Dennis said: “It’s more than 20 years since it first became illegal to use a handheld phone while driving, and 17 years since the offence was first punishable through penalty points on drivers’ licences. Yet despite the penalties having since doubled to six penalty points and a £200 fine seven years ago, it’s clear far too many drivers are still prepared to put lives at risk by engaging in this dangerous practice.”
The RAC said drivers likely have little fear of being caught using mobiles due to a lack of police enforcement – it’s called for more forces to begin trialling camera-based technology that can automatically detect drivers breaking the law in this way.
Trials of the technology first launched in 2021 in a National Highways pilot with infrastructure consulting firm AECOM. As well as being able to spot motorists using mobile phones, the cameras can also catch those not wearing a seatbelt and are now being rolled out by more police forces ahead of possible national deployment.
The RAC’s Rod Dennis added: “We know from our research that drivers are broadly supportive of cameras being used for this purpose.
“Without the dial being turned up on enforcement, there’s every chance we will never bring about the change needed to curb this behaviour. Ultimately, we have to make using a handheld phone at the wheel as socially unacceptable as drink-driving.”
The evolution in legislation banning mobile phone use while driving
- 1 December 2003 – £30 fixed penalty (fine) introduced
- 27 February 2007 – Penalty increased to three points and £60 fine
- June 2013 – Penalty increased to three points and £100 fine
- 1 September 2016 – RAC research finds illegal mobile phone use by drivers at ‘epidemic proportions’, triggering government action and a consultation on raising the penalties further
- 1 March 2017 – Penalty increased to six points and £200 fine
- 25 March 2022 – Law changed to cover any use of a handheld phone while driving
