Drivers in Bolton admit using their phone at wheel

Despite 90 per cent of people in the town knowing it is illegal to use their phone while driving, people admitted to texting, surfing the net and checking social media at the wheel in the study conducted by Jefferies Solicitors.

The law firm found that 34 per cent of people regularly spotted other drivers on their phones, and 19 per cent responded by shouting, beeping, or gesturing at them.

More than half of people who have used their phone while driving said they did so travelling at speeds between 11 and 40mph, and that almost a fifth keep their mobile somewhere easily accessible.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: "Research has firmly established that using a mobile phone while driving adversely affects driver performance and increases the risk of crashing.

"Drivers who use a mobile phone, whether hand-held or hands-free, are much less aware of what’s happening on the road around them, fail to maintain proper lane position and react more slowly, taking longer to stop.

"Using a mobile phone while driving increases the risk of crashing, and injuring or killing innocent people. Sadly, as this survey shows, many people still use a mobile phone behind the wheel despite it being illegal and dangerous to do so. They don’t seem to consider the consequences of what could happen."

The study showed that eight million drivers across the country still used their phones while driving.

Michael Jefferies, managing director of Jefferies Solicitors, added: "It’s worrying to see that people continue to take risks, despite being aware that using their mobile phone while driving is illegal.

"We see a large number of motoring offence claims involving serious injuries or fatalities – and more recently, mobile phone use is investigated following a collision to determine the cause.

"These types of accidents can easily be avoided if drivers only use their phones when it’s safe to do so."