A UK website called GoodMobilePhones has polled some 1,859 visitors and found that 81% of respondents admit to using a mobile phone without a hands-free device while driving, despite the fact it’s been illegal to do so in Britain for over seven years.
Of those 81%, 52% use their mobile phones to make calls, 44% use them to send text messages, 31% use them to check their email and 24% use them to look at social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Of all the respondents, only 12% said they’d never make a phone call while driving without a hands free kit and just 3% said they’d never use their phone at all while on the road.
More disturbing, 62% were not aware of the punishments that could be incurred for such behaviour, and 11% were unsure. Only 27% claimed to be fully aware and used their mobile phones regardless.
Mark Owen, the founder of GoodMobilePhones had this to say about the survey:
“It’s surprising to see how many people still take or make calls without a hands-free kit whilst driving, particularly given how aware we all are of the dangers. While we all may be guilty of checking the odd text or Facebook status when in a traffic jam, this is nevertheless illegal, not to mention hazardous to both yourself and other drivers. It’s amazing to think that the law banning mobile phones whilst driving is just over seven years old, yet the majority of people are still using their mobile phone whilst operating a vehicle.”
It’s a sad state of affairs, though somewhat inevitable in our highly networked world. The good old days of work ending when we leave the office are long behind us, and with social networking rapidly replacing the tried-and-true methods of interpersonal communication, this problem is only going to get worse in the future.
Add to that increasing traffic congestion and road rage incidents and it would seem the British are in for a lot more than they bargained for.
By Tristan Hankins
Source: TheTelegraph
