Forum Brief: Mobile phone drivers

From December drivers caught using a mobile phone will face fines ranging from £30 to £1000.

The practice will become a specific offence, road safety minister David Jamieson announced on Tuesday.

Forum Response: Vodafone

Sumit Biswas, programme director at Vodafone UK, said: "We believe that the new policy is easy for our customers to understand, is enforceable by the police and importantly, it does not preclude the development of new technologies in the future.

"However, drivers should be aware that just because it is legal to use a fixed, hands free mobile phone in a car, it does not necessarily mean it is safe to do so, and drivers should think carefully and responsibly about using their phone when driving."

Forum Response: Direct Line

A spokesman for Direct Line told ePolitix.com: "Direct Line was the first to commission authoritative research on the subject of driving whilst using mobile phones and welcomes the government announcement that drivers using a mobile phone will be subject to a specific offence from 1 December 2003.

"Direct Line research has shown that using a mobile phone at the wheel, whether hand held or hands free is more dangerous than drink driving. Our results demonstrated that reaction times doubled for motorists using a mobile phone while at the wheel.

"Direct Line believes that motorists using mobile phones at the wheel subject themselves and other road users to unacceptable dangers."

Forum Response: Association of British Insurers

Jo Dagustun, motor manager at the ABI, told ePolitix.com: "We are pleased that the government are cracking down on this danger. The ABI has long argued for a specific offence for driving while using a hand-held mobile phone.

"It is right that that the government intends to legislate to make this an endorseable offence. We believe many motorists are unaware just how dangerous this activity is.

"This offence should leave motorists in no doubt about the dangers involved."