RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

July 7, 1999
LORDS TO DEBATE LAW ON MOBILE PHONES AND DRIVING

On Friday (July 9), the House of Lords will debate measures to ban the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving, when a bill by Lord Davies of Oldham will be given its second reading.

He is proposing that it should be made a specific offence for a driver to make or receive a call on a hand-held phone when the vehicle is moving.

Lord Davies, Deputy President of The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said action had to be taken in the interests of road safety.

Existing laws did not seem to be deterring drivers from using hand-held mobile phones, and he believed a specific offence was needed to end confusion.

Lord Davies said: "RoSPA knows of at least six deaths on Britain’s roads where the use of a mobile phone has been implicated, but there could be many more. My bill is a preventive measure to stop an already serious situation from becoming worse.

"Since I introduced this bill, I have received letters of support from people whose lives have been ruined by the effects a mobile phone accident has had on their families. It needs to be made clear to drivers that it is wrong to use a hand-held phone while at the wheel.

"I am not seeking to ban mobile phones from cars. They can be used safely by passengers, or when the driver has stopped in a suitable place. Messaging systems mean there is no need to miss out on important calls, if drivers build regular breaks into their schedules for the day."

RoSPA 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. A public opinion poll showed that 84 per cent of people would like to see motorists banned from using hand-held mobile phones while driving.