RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

May 5, 1999
BILL TO STOP DRIVERS USING HAND-HELD MOBILE PHONES

A Bill to ban the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving will be introduced in the House of Lords tomorrow (Thursday May 6).

Lord Davies of Oldham is proposing it should be a specific offence for a driver to make or receive a call on a hand-held phone when the vehicle is moving.

He said: "I have a long-standing interest in safety matters and believe it is very dangerous to use a hand-held phone while at the wheel. A specific offence would make it clear to drivers that it is wrong, as there seems to be some confusion among motorists at present about where they stand legally."

Lord Davies, Deputy President of The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said his work with RoSPA had reinforced his views about the dangers of mobile phones.

RoSPA says there have been at least six deaths on Britain’s roads where the use of a mobile phone has been implicated. The Society says that research indicates that using a mobile phone on the move, whether hand-held or hands-free, increases the likelihood of a driver having an accident.

John Howard, RoSPA’s Director of Safety Policy, said: "We welcome this initiative by Lord Davies. A public opinion poll for RoSPA showed that 84 per cent of people would like to see motorists banned from using hand-held phones while driving.

"Police have used a variety of offences to take action against mobile phone users, but a specific offence would mean there would be no excuse for a driver seen using a mobile phone at the wheel.

"It is much safer for drivers not to use any type of mobile phone when they are on the move, because a telephone conversation is a major distraction from the driving task."