40% cut in drivers breaking mobile phone law

A new survey shows the number of car drivers using hand-held mobile phones at the wheel has fallen by 40%, Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick revealed.

Just 1% of car drivers were observed using a hand-held mobile while driving, compared with 1.7% last year, a survey conducted in August found.

Speaking at the Annual Lecture of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, Jim Fitzpatrick said: "Since February, drivers illegally using their mobile phone have risked three points on their licence and a £60 fine. The Government introduced this tough penalty to stamp down on mobile phone use at the wheel and this survey suggests more and more motorists are getting the message.

"Using any mobile phone when driving is distracting - it stops you giving the road your full attention and slows reaction times. Research shows it can make a crash four times more likely, so it is vital motorists do not use their phones while driving."

The survey, commissioned by the Department for Transport and published by TRL, showed that between September 2006 and August 2007 observed numbers of:

* Car drivers using hand-held mobiles dropped from 1.7% to 1%
* Car drivers using hands-free mobiles dropped from 0.9% to 0.4%
* Other drivers using hand-held mobiles dropped from 2.9% to 2.4%
* Other drivers using hands-free mobiles halved, from 1.2% to 0.6%.