Vast majority of drivers often see illegal phone use
Sightings of handheld mobile phone use by drivers are common on UK roads despite Friday being the 20th anniversary of the practice being banned, a survey suggests.
Some93%ofrespondentsto a poll of more than 12,000 AA members said they often see other motorists using a phone at the wheel.
Eight per cent admitted to illegal phone use, rising to 14% for those aged 35-44.
Nearly half (49%) of those surveyed said they think there is little chance of offenders being caught.
Legislation banning handheld mobile use while driving was introduced on December 1 2003.
The punishment for those caught was toughened in 2017, meaningoffendersnowfacesix penalty points and a £200 fine.
A loophole allowing drivers toescapepunishmentforhandheldphoneuseiftheyweretaking a photograph or playing a game was closed by new legislation in March last year.
Department for Transport statistics show 22 people were killed and a further 148 were badly hurt in crashes on Britain’sroadsin2022whereadriver using a mobile phone was a contributory factor.
Concernovermobilephone use by drivers has intensified in recent years following highprofile cases.
LorrydriverTomaszKroker was jailed for 10 years in October 2016 after smashing into stationary traffic on the A34 in Berkshire while distracted by his phone, killing a woman and three children.
Kate Goldsmith, whose 11-year-old daughter Aimee was among the victims, is campaigning for greater awareness oftheconsequencesandstricterpenaltiesforusingphonesat the wheel.
Shesaid:“Theuseofmobiles at the wheel has been illegal for 20 years. My daughter Aimee died because of such actions more than seven years ago, yet westillseepeopleonthephone daily.
“Ihavecampaignedforyears to highlight the dangers of mobile phone use. I even went out with road traffic officers, telling my story to the drivers they stopped.
“I thought, ‘If I can just save one person, then that’s good enough’.
“But it’s not good enough. Surely, we can do better than that.”