Almost half of young drivers have admitted they make or receive phone calls while driving, according to new research.
Two-fifths (42.76%) of motorists aged between 17 and 25 confessed to the offence that carries a fixed penalty notice of £60 and three points on the licence, revealed One Poll's survey of 2,900 motorists.
Just over one in 10 young drivers (12.35%) suggested it is not even dangerous to use a phone while behind the wheel, with one in three (33.66%) saying that changing the tracks on an MP3 player does not pose a risk.
The North West region is home to the highest proportion of young risk-takers on the roads, the survey found, with almost one in five (17.82%) stating the belief that it is not dangerous to use a mobile phone while driving.
Responsible young drivers - who pay significant car insurance premiums - may be looking at the new figures with dismay, although the temptation to use in-car gadgets when driving could be on the increase across all age groups with many new cars incorporating in-built smartphone holders and iPhone docks.
Copyright Press Association 2012
