Tougher actions needed to tackle driving while using a mobile phone

14 August 2019

The Government should consider tougher restrictions on driving while using a mobile phone and stricter enforcement of the law to prevent the ‘entirely avoidable’ tragedy of deaths and serious injuries from related crashes on the roads, MPs say.

To read the report: Road safety: driving while using a mobile phone please click here.

To read the report's conclusions and recommendations: Road safety: driving while using a mobile phone please click here.

Shaun Helman, TRL’s chief scientist – who provided evidence for the report – says we need a new way of educating drivers on the dangers of distractions:

''A debate about hands-free and hand-held phone use is welcome, but if we want to improve road safety and stop killing people it completely misses the point.

This Transport Committee report on driving and mobile phones is to be welcomed, for focusing our attention on a pressing and growing road safety issue. As someone who provided evidence to the committee, I don’t need convincing that the use of a mobile device while controlling a vehicle is something that must be considered by those seeking to reduce death and injury on the road. I also believe that the debate we keep having on this issue misses the important points, time and time again...''

For the full comment, please click here.