34 / 96
2.0
Road safety
Despite this high level of concern,
a significant minority of motorists
do admit to using handheld phones
to make or receive calls while
driving. Almost a third (31%) have
done so at least once in the past
12 months: 15% say they rarely do
so, 10% say they use their phones
in this way only sometimes, while
6% admit using handheld phones
at the wheel most or all of the time.
Motorists are much more likely to
use their handheld phones while
sitting in stationary traffic with their
engines on, despite the fact that this
is also against the law.
Almost half of drivers (49%) have
done so in the past year, while 46%
admit to having checked texts, emails
or social media while stationary.
The idea that it is acceptable to
use a phone while stuck in traffic
or queuing at a set of lights, for
example, seems to be gaining
currency. A fifth of motorists (20%)
say they agree with the statement
‘It is safe to text or check social
media on your phone when
stationary’, up from 17% in 2015.
And equally worryingly, taking
phone calls on a handheld phone
while driving is unacceptable to
fewer motorists this year; only
78% thought taking a quick call
was unacceptable, down from
83% 12 months ago.
As for the reasons given for using a
handheld phone while driving, 23%
say ‘It was an emergency’, while
21% did so to obtain information
needed for their journeys; 20%
made a call because ‘It could have
been an emergency’.
46
%
of people admit
to having checked
texts, emails or
social media while
stationary
78
%
of motorists think taking quick
phone calls on a handheld phone
while driving is unacceptable
34
RAC Report on Motoring 2016