Report on motoring 2003 - mobile phones

The use of mobile phones while driving is an important and topical issue. This report looks at the views of motorists on the use of both hand-held and hands-free mobile phones while driving, covering current motorists’ behaviour and reactions to the proposed ban on the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving.

The Government is proposing to make the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving a specific motoring offence. RAC Motoring Services commissioned this study to better understand how our members, and the wider motoring public, use mobile phones and their views on further legislation.

This report examines the extent of the problem, gauges support among motorists for change, and assesses how they would prefer new measures to be introduced.

This report examines the extent of the problem, gauges support among motorists for change, and assesses how they would prefer new measures to be introduced.

Our research over the past 15 years has consistently shown that motorists have a keen interest in road safety issues. If policies and road safety campaigns can better reflect their perceptions, and the practicalities of everyday life on the road, they will be better targeted, more effective and much more likely to secure widespread support.

Ban hand-held phones and make it a comparable offence to speeding

Only 1 in 5 drivers admit to using a mobile phone while driving and just 1 in 10 use a hand-held mobile phone. This is despite the fact that 63% of motorists say that they frequently observe others driving carelessly while using a mobile phone.

The calls that drivers have while driving are of relatively low importance - mostly from friends, family and people from the office Those taking more regular business calls on a phone supplied by their company are more likely to have a hands-free kit in their car.

There is widespread acceptance that using a mobile phone while driving is dangerous (two thirds see it as significantly impairing driving ability), but there is scepticism among hand-held users that their own personal driving ability is impaired in any way.

Reflecting these opinions, 9 in 10 drivers support a ban on hand-held phones while driving, although support falls away dramatically for a complete ban on all forms of mobile phones. Many still believe, however, that using a mobile phone while driving can be in the interests of road safety in certain circumstances, particularly for reporting an accident or in an emergency.

With a ban imposed, the vast majority (7 in 10) would like to see a system of fines and penalty points imposed as punishment. Those at most risk of receiving such a punishment (current hand-held users) would prefer a system of 'warnings' - this suggests that fines and points would be probably be effective with this group.

These results support RAC's call for a ban on hand-held mobile phones while driving, with punishments in line with minor speeding offences. RAC also strongly urges the Government to pursue an information campaign to encourage safer behaviour by users of hands-free phones.

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