Hands-free mobile equals drink

Using a hands-free mobile while driving can be more dangerous than drink driving and a majority of motorists would ban all phone use when driving, research by Direct Line concluded.

The Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) found:

• Driver reaction times, such as the time taken to apply the brakes or steer away from danger, are 30% slower when using a hands-free mobile phone than when driving over the legal alcohol limit.
• At 70mph that means that the vehicle travels 26ft further than normal in an emergency stop. Someone driving slightly over the legal alcohol limit would travel just 13ft.
• Drivers' concentration levels reduced for an average of ten minutes after the conversation has ended.
• 52% of those asked would be in support of an outright ban on using mobile phones while driving.
• 22% of drivers made hands-free calls last year.
• Nearly ten million drivers (30%) admit to reading text messages when driving
• 18 to 34 year olds are most likely to use a mobile while driving.
• Research subjects gave hands-free mobile use a danger rating of just 3/10, way below other ‘every day' distractions such as ‘eating sweets' (5/10), or ‘smoking a cigarette' (5/10) whilst driving.

Maggie Game, Head of Car Insurance at Direct Line, comments: "The news that using a hands-free mobile while driving could be more dangerous than drink driving will understandably come as a shock to many drivers who currently use a hands-free device to comply with the law. Given that drink driving was responsible for 14,480 casualties, including 460 deaths, on the road in 20075, the potential for casualties from mobile phone use is frightening.

"Hopefully now that drivers are aware of the dangers inherent in the use of hands-free mobile phones whilst driving, the act of having any but the most crucial conversations will take on the status of a social taboo in much the same way that drink driving has. Whilst serious injuries and death on the road as a result of drink driving are decreasing, the potential for mobile phones to be a contributory factor in serious road accidents can only increase."

Hand-held use continues

Meanwhile the AA reported that 100,000 drivers are still breaking the law and holding their mobile phone while driving.

Those prosecuted see their insurance premiums rise. In a survey of eight insurers from its panel AA Insurance, found that one refused to quote for a single CU80 mobile telephone offence. All others increased premiums by between 4.2% and 18.1%, reflecting how seriously the industry views this offence. If a simultaneous CD10 (careless driving) offence is added, half of the insurers refused to quote while others imposed premium increases of up to 50.5%.

Simon Douglas, director of AA Car Insurance said: "Driving while using a hand-held mobile telephone places you at much greater risk of having an accident and thus making an insurance claim. Insurance companies rightly take such offences very seriously and in an extreme case, could void a policy.

"The increased premium remains for the duration of the offence period so if, for example, your premium increase is £60 following the offence, you will ultimately pay £240 - £60 per year for three years, plus the fine."