2 January 2025

The Dangers of Phones and the Road: Why Young Drivers Need to Hit Pause

A recent report from the RAC has unveiled a concerning trend among young drivers: Four-in-10 are making video calls while driving. This alarming statistic is just one part of a bigger picture of increasing mobile phone misuse behind the wheel.

Despite the law being crystal clear having a zero tolerance handheld phone law in place, 55% of drivers under 25 admitted to making voice calls without hands-free technology, and 39% confessed to checking messages manually. What’s more shocking is that nearly a third of these drivers (30%) are using their phones to take photos or record videos while navigating busy streets—this is a sharp rise from last year’s figures.

It doesn’t stop there. The rise in mobile phone distractions among young drivers is concerning: 40% have taken video calls while driving. It’s clear that more drivers are ignoring the dangers of distracted driving, despite it being illegal.

The law has been clear for over 20 years—hands-free is fine, handheld isn’t. Yet, these statistics show that a significant number of young drivers still think it’s okay to multitask behind the wheel. Their belief of “they won’t get caught”, or perhaps they don’t think it’s that risky. But as the research shows, the consequences are serious. In 2023, there were 23 fatalities where mobile phone use was a contributing factor, and with AI cameras increasingly being deployed to catch offenders, it’s clear this behaviour won’t go unnoticed.

It’s all about making smarter choices behind the wheel. Activa promotes safe and sensible driving, ensuring you’re in a reliable vehicle with all the right tools for modern drivers. It’s vital to stay focused on the road and for companies its worth continually updating their driver handbook to remind all drivers about the company’s phone use policy whilst driving on company business.