Younger Drivers Risk It All with Phones at the Wheel
New research reveals younger drivers are twice as likely to make or receive video calls while driving. Across the UK, 8% of drivers admit to this risky behaviour, but the figure jumps to 13% for those aged 25 to 44. Even worse, nearly 1 in 10 drivers aged 17 to 24 (9%) play games on their phones behind the wheel—three times the national average.
Handheld Phone Use Sparks Major Concern
Handheld phone use is the second biggest motoring worry after poor local roads. A hefty 32% of UK drivers say illegal phone use concerns them, with nearly 80% backing camera technology to catch offenders. The spike in phone calls while driving is stark: 29% of all drivers confessed to calls on handhelds in 2020—a 5% rise and the highest since 2016.
Young drivers are the worst offenders, with 42% admitting calls (though down from 51% in 2019). Meanwhile, 32% of 25 to 44-year-olds also break the law by using phones at the wheel.
Some Good News but Problems Persist
Texting and messaging behind the wheel is on the decline, down from 14% last year to 8%. Young drivers are still the worst culprits; 15% admit to texting in 2020, though that’s a big drop from 37% a year earlier. Checking notifications also fell—from 17% in 2019 to 14% now—yet 22% of younger drivers still do it.
Despite tougher penalties introduced after the 2016 RAC report dubbed phone use at the wheel an ‘epidemic’, the issue remains stubborn. Experts say new focus is vital, especially to tackle behaviour among younger motorists.
Calls for Camera Crackdown Grow Louder
With police stretched thin trying to catch phone-using drivers in the act, 79% of motorists want fixed cameras cracking down on offenders—an approach proven overseas. More than half strongly back this tech.
RAC road safety spokesperson Simon Williams said: “Our figures highlight what many drivers already know – illegal phone use at the wheel hasn’t gone away. Calls are up to the highest level since 2016, and video calls are a new danger on UK roads.”
“Despite tougher penalties, mobile phone use remains the second biggest motoring concern. The current law doesn’t cover many phone uses like checking texts or changing music, making enforcement tricky. Motorists want camera technology to catch lawbreakers because if drivers don’t believe they’ll be caught, nothing will change.”
Inspector Frazer Davey, Avon and Somerset Police Roads Policing unit, added: “Using a mobile phone while driving puts everyone at risk. Distracted driving can have catastrophic consequences. It’s simply not worth it.”
