Dangerous behaviour

BRITAIN: Depite the strict penalties that were introduced two years ago, the percentage of drivers in the UK who text or phone while behind the wheel of a car has risen sharply.

According to the Transport Research Laboratory, 2.6 per cent of London drivers used a hand-held mobile in traffic in 2006. The numbers dropped significantly after penalties were made stricter, including a fine of £60 and three points on the driving licence.

But now more drivers than ever — 2.8 per cent — put themselves and others at risk by holding and using their phones. Taxicab and lorry drivers also increasingly make and receive calls on the road.

"Your reaction time is likely to be slower, you're more likely to drift across into the adjacent lanes and you're less aware of what's going on around you," Dr Nick Reed, from the Transport Research Laboratory, told the BBC. "You're less likely to check the mirrors and know there are vehicles there, so you're at a much greater risk of having an accident."

"You're at a much greater risk of having an accident," says Dr Nick Reed from the Transport Research Laboratory.

If the phoning or texting results in careless driving, the motorist could face up to two years in prison and a fine of £2,500. Safety campaigers say systems that allow hands-free phoning are not much better, as drivers are still distracted by the conversations while driving. Among women, those aged 17 to 29 were most likely to phone while driving, whereas men aged 30 to 59 most often showed this behaviour. Some 14,000 drivers were questioned for the report.