Police figures published by Fleet News in mid-April suggest that drivers’ offences caused by mobile phone misuse behind the wheel have decreased.
The number of drivers who have been given penalty points has decreased by 24% in 2014 and by more than 40% from 2010 to 2014. The figures were a result of a free research conducted by the BBC Radio 5 station for a live show—36 out of 43 police forces throughout England and Wales were forthcoming with the relevant data.
The figure seems rather encouraging, but apparently this does not suggest a sea change in drivers’ attitudes toward mobile phone use behind the wheel, but rather that they are just being fined less.
The Department of Transport of the UK had in fact studied the attitude of drivers towards mobile phone misuse and this (earlier) research actually showed that 1.1% of drivers in England and Scotland had been seen holding their phone while driving and a further 0.5% were seen with the phone to their ear.
The research suggests that there is a rather high number of offenders not being caught and not being fined, thus raising doubt as to the reality of any fundamental change in drivers’ attitude.
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is of a similar opinion; the fact that fines did not visibly increase merely suggests that motorists are still disregarding the law as most drivers have little fear of being caught. Neil Greig, director of policy and research for IAM, disclosed that around 470,000 motorists are using mobile phones illegally, and in actual fact 72,000 tickets and 99,000 courses undertaken is still a very small number of penalty sanctions for such a dangerous habit.
