Crackdown on mobiles in cars

DRIVERS will be warned of the dangers of using mobile phones at the wheel in a new publicity campaign.

Government statistics say that 270 people died last year as a result of drivers using mobiles – 8% of all deaths on the road.

After alcohol, speeding and not wearing a seatbelt it is the fourth most common cause of deaths on the road.

The campaign will run from November 30 to December 21.

Driving with a mobile is subject to a €35 fine and two points off your licence.

While hands-free kits remain legal, the Observatoire National Interministériel de la Sécurité Routière (ONISR), which collects statistics on road safety, has been calling for them to be banned since 2007.

It estimates that 8% of all road deaths are caused by telephone conversations, regardless of whether hands-free kits were used or not.

The ONISR cites reports from Australia and US which show that hands-free kits also distract drivers’ attention.

An opinion poll in 2006 carried out by Ifop found that two-thirds of people who admitted using mobiles in cars thought a complete ban would be a good idea.

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