More than one in 10 motorists are prepared to use a hand held mobile phone at the wheel, according to a new study. Research by GEM Motoring Assist, the breakdown group, says that 11.4% of nearly 3400 of its members admitted they would willingly break the law and use a phone while driving.

 

What makes the result so striking is that over 95% of respondents have held a full driving licence for more than a decade, only a tiny minority are aged under 24 and the group conducting the survey is the trading name for the Guild of Experienced Motorists, which describes itself as a road safety association.

 

The survey also found that more than six in 10 admitted to snacking while driving and over four in 10 said they have become ‘dangerously distracted’ at some point while driving. Surprisingly, more than 75% of respondents said they also want to see more traffic police clamping down on drivers who break the law.

 

Guild chief executive David Williams said: “The survey reveals the double standards at the heart of motoring in this country and the enormous challenge the authorities face to promote behaviour change.

 

“On one hand we are demanding tougher action against law breaking motorists but on the other hand millions of us are quite happy to admit to bad driving.

 

“In recent decades we have made considerable progress in persuading people not to drink and drive. Achieving a nationwide commitment to reducing driver distractions is a huge challenge.

 

“We believe the Government priority should be to seek out a raft of new, compelling messages that will persuade drivers to banish distractions. At the same time we call for a much needed boost in traffic police numbers to deal with the riskiest drivers on our roads.”

 

The survey also found that opinion is split on the value of enforcement cameras; with 35% calling for more cameras, 39% happy with existing levels and 25% wanting fewer cameras.