Young drivers ignoring phone warnings

Younger drivers are still ignoring warnings over using mobile phone use whilst driving.

That is the finding of Kent’s road safety team, which has reported that a third of drivers under 35 admitted to checking social media and apps whilst behind the wheel.

A further 37 percent confessed to taking a call without the assistance Bluetooth or hands free technology, whilst both statistics are even higher for those aged between 17-24.

Steve Horton, road safety team leader at Kent County Council, said: “Using a mobile phone whilst driving impairs reaction time, reduces concentration levels, leads to poorer judgment of speed and distance and reduces your field of vision. Drivers using mobile phones make the roads less safe for us all.

“It’s a fallacy to believe we can concentrate on two things at once. The reality is one activity will dominate the other. It’s not simply splitting your attention 50:50, it’s more like 95:5 with the task seeming the most important taking over - with drivers using a phone that means the call / text / situation update completely takes over from the driving.”

The figures have been released to coincide with the KCC Road Safety Council’s latest awareness campaign.

Share this article