A fifth of British drivers admit using mobile phone whilst driving

A new study by claims.co.uk has shown that 20% of drivers in Great Britain have admitted using their mobile phone (without hands-free devices) whilst driving. The research, carried out by YouGov, reveals that many people are ignoring safety advice about the increased chance of causing a road accident when using a phone.

It also seems that men are worse offenders than women, as 28% of men admitted to breaking the law, compared to only 14% of women.

The government released data earlier this year that showed nearly 70,000 people had been caught using their phone behind the wheel in the years 2011, 2012 and 2013. The vast majority of these drivers were fined and received 3 points on their licence.

Managing director of claims.co.uk, John Quail, said: “The evidence is strong that using a mobile phone to make calls and text while driving is irresponsible and dangerous. Yet 20% of us seem to think we can use our mobile when driving and get away with it.”

The male/female divide, the regional divide

The infographic below shows the divide between male and female respondants, as well as the differences between regions in Great Britain and marital status:

Drivers using mobile phones GB

Raw YouGov survey data

The table below shows the raw data taken from the YouGov survey:

Gender
	Male	Female
Unweighted base	845	902
Base: All GB Adults who have a valid UK driving licence	847	867
Spoken on the phone whilst driving (not on a hands free kit)	26%	14%

Age
	18-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55+
Unweighted base	174	200	316	398	659
Base: All GB Adults who have a valid UK driving licence	208	260	319	323	603
Spoken on the phone whilst driving (not on a hands free kit)	10%	27%	28%	25%	14%

Region
	North	Midlands	East	London	South	England	Wales	Scotland
Unweighted base	515	313	207	237	464	1736	123	169
Base: All GB Adults who have a valid UK driving licence	499	333	195	260	464	1750	101	176
Spoken on the phone whilst driving (not on a hands free kit)	17%	22%	17%	19%	21%	20%	20%	26%

Marital Status
	Married/Civil partnership	Living as married	Separated/Divorced	Widowed	Never married
Unweighted base	928	227	155	52	385
Base: All GB Adults who have a valid UK driving licence	903	223	128	47	414
Spoken on the phone whilst driving (not on a hands free kit)	23%	29%	17%	6%	13%

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