Higher penalties for drivers caught using their mobile phone

 

There are calls for drivers to receive higher penalties when they are caught using their mobile phones after research shows that using a mobile phone can make you more dangerous than a drunk driver.

 

Research conducted by the Transport Research Laboratory shows that a driver who is drunk has an increased reaction time of 13% whilst someone who is high on cannabis takes 21% longer to react.

 

Alarmingly, research shows that someone using a hands free kit to make a phone call while driving sees their reaction times increase by 27% while someone sending a text message will take an extra 37% longer to react.

 

Staggeringly, someone using a hand held telephone will take 47% longer to react while driving.
Most people wouldn’t drive a car when drunk but many people seem to think it is acceptable to use a mobile phone while driving.  Drink driving has been socially unacceptable for decades now, but how long will it take society to get the message that using your mobile phone whilst driving is dangerous?