In today’s digital age, smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives. However, their convenience can also post serious risks, especially when behind the wheel.
Official statistics show that in 2022 alone, 22 people were killed and a further 674 injured in road traffic collisions where a driver was using a mobile phone.
In order to reduce the volume of RTAs with drivers using mobile phones, the law was changed in March 2022 to prohibit holding a device whilst driving, regardless of its use. This effectively closed the loopholes that previously allowed drivers to escape prosecution for non-interactive use, such as taking photos or scrolling through playlists.
Any driver now caught holding and using a device for any reason (unless in an emergency) is dealt a £200 fine and six penalty points.
But how many drivers are adhering to the updated law, two years after the stricter rules were introduced?
In order to find out, we submitted a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA to acquire the number of mobile phone related offences added to GB licence holders’ records between 2020 and 2023.
We then broke these numbers down by postcode area and compared them with the number of full local licence holders in each area, to reveal the hotspots with the most offenders.
We also quizzed 2,000 UK motorists on their awareness of the law and asked how often they admit to using their phone when driving, which revealed the most common trends and demographics for mobile phone related driving offences.
How has the number of mobile phone related offences changed over time?
Overall, our research found that the number of motorists who have been caught using their mobile phone whilst driving has skyrocketed since 2022, despite the big penalties.
In 2020, the DVLA reported that 6,431 licence holders were fined for using their phone while driving, while this had risen to an astonishing 39,085 total offences in 2023 – the equivalent of 107 per day. That is a staggering 600% increase in the just three years.
Considering that there are 42.3 million full driving licence holders in Great Britain, this data suggests that one in every 427 licence holders has been caught using a mobile phone while driving in the past three years.
Which areas have the most mobile phone related driving offences?
Looking more closely at the regional data, Bradford emerged as the place with the most distracted drivers in Great Britain.
In the last four years (2020-2023), a total of 2,143 offences have been recorded among Braford’s 349,061 full licence holders.
This means one in 163 drivers has been booked for illegally using a mobile phone, giving Bradford an offending rate that is 2.5 times higher than the national average, which is one in every 427.
London represented a high proportion of distracted drivers too, with eight of the ten hotspots being in and around London. Ilford and Romford followed closely behind Bradford, with offending rates of one in 182 and one in 188 drivers respectively.
Twickenham and Northwest London took the fourth and fifth spots, recording relatively high offending rates, with one in 225 drivers in Twickenham and one in 235 drivers being caught in North West London.
Here are the top 10 hotspots for distracted driving caused by a mobile phone in Great Britain:
Which areas have the least mobile phone related driving offences?
On the other end of the scale, it was revealed that Stockport in Greater Manchester has the lowest offending rate, with 370 drivers punished between 2020 and 2023, against 439,962 full licence holders.
Translating to just one in every 1,189 drivers being caught using a phone behind the wheel, this is approximately 2.8 times lower than the national average.
The locations with the fewest licence holders receiving endorsements for using their phone while behind the wheel were in the north of England and Scotland. In fact, the only area located in the south of England is Dorchester, which placed sixth, with one in every 998 drivers being caught with a penalty for driving while using a phone.
Carlisle in Cumbria placed second, with only one in every 1,135 drivers being caught for illegally using their phone.
Following closely, Lerwick, a town on the Scottish Shetland Islands has a low offending rate at only one in every 1,058 drivers.
Chester took fourth place, with one in every 1,028 drives and Lancaster placed fifth, with one in every 1,024 drivers.
Here are the top 10 postcodes with the lowest amount of mobile phone related offences in Great Britain:
1.Stockport – One in 1189 drivers
2.Carlisle – One in 1135 drivers
3.Lerwick – One in 1058 drivers
4.Chester – One in 1028 drivers
5.Lancaster – One in 1024 drivers
6.Dorchester – One in 998 drivers
7.Newcastle upon Tyne – One in 933 drivers
8.Hull – One in 897 drivers
9.Aberdeen – One in 881 drivers
10.Bolton – One in 860 drivers
How many Brits know that they’re breaking the law by using a mobile phone while driving?
In line with increasing occasions of drivers using their phone when driving, the survey revealed that an astounding two fifths of British motorists admit to checking their phone regularly or occasionally in the last two years while behind the wheel of a car (43%).
A further 8% admit to having done this once in the last two years, leaving just over a third (36%) who follow the rules and never touch their phone when driving.
Despite the new law coming into effect two years ago, over half of drivers are totally oblivious to the points and fines they could get from using their phone while driving (45%).
Over half (55%) believe it is okay to check their phone in traffic if it is in airplane mode, when this is in fact illegal.
When quizzed on whether passengers who are supervising a learner driver can check their phone, more than two in five drivers (45%) incorrectly believed this is permitted. However, this could land them in trouble with the law, as their attention needs to be on supervising the learner at all times.
When it comes to knowledge of the rules, many aren’t clear on what is allowed. A quarter (25%) of drivers aren’t aware that the law permits an exception when a person needs to call 999 in an emergency and it’s impractical or unsafe to stop.
Further demonstrating a lack of awareness, one in four (29%) incorrectly believe it is illegal to use your phone as a driver to make a contactless payment at a drive-through restaurant, when this is in fact allowed.
What are the most common demographics for drivers who commit mobile phone offences?
Our research revealed men are more likely to have a higher tendency to reach for their phones whilst driving.
The data showed that almost half (49%) of men risk their licence and their wallet, as they admitted to using their phones several times at the wheel in the last two years, compared to 39% of women.
Men are also twice as likely to do this regularly (13%) whilst only 6% of women say they make a habit of this.
Drivers aged 25-34 emerged as the most likely culprits when it comes to ignoring the rules and using their phones behind the wheel. A shocking four in five respondents in this age group admitted to doing so at least once in the last two years (81%).
While 15% confessed to driving while using their phone is a regular habit, over half (54%) acknowledged that this behaviour only happens ‘occasionally’.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, drivers aged 25-34 are also the least likely to be aware of the hefty consequences if caught. An astounding three in four (72%) said they did not know that the penalty for this, if caught, is £200 and 6 points.
In comparison, three quarters (74%) of those aged 55-64 were familiar with the penalties and nearly half (48%) of Gen Z drivers (18-24) said they know about this.
Surprisingly, even new drivers aged 18-24 were not immune to this dangerous behaviour. Over half (57%) admitted to using their phones while driving, a risky practice for those who have held their licence for less than two years, as it could result in having their licence revoked.
While the majority of drivers aged 45-54 are aware of the potential consequences—64% knew about the £200 fine and six points penalty—nearly half (48%) still admitted to committing the offense.
At the other end of the spectrum, drivers aged 65+ were the least likely to use their phones while driving, with only 0.5% admitting to regular phone use.
Most drivers aged 65 or over (61%) stated that they never touch their phones when behind the wheel. Additionally, those aged 65+ had a higher level of knowledge about road safety rules than young drivers, as they were the second most likely group to know about the £200 fine and six points penalty (71%) after those aged 55-64.
Our conclusion
Despite the well-documented dangers and strict penalties, the data shows that many drivers remain tempted to reach for their phones behind the wheel.
It’s crucial to remember that the risks associated with phone use while driving far outweigh any potential benefits. Aside from the hefty fines and penalty points, using a phone can lead to accidents, injuries, and even fatalities.
Additionally, insurance premiums may increase for drivers caught using their phones, resulting in higher costs over time.
To ensure you’re not tempted, place your phone out of reach in a bag that’s difficult to access and be fully present to your surroundings whilst driving. By focusing on the road ahead, you can ensure the safety of yourself and everyone else on the road.
Remember, every distraction, no matter how small, can have serious consequences, so it’s crucial to prioritise road safety and avoid the temptation to use your phone while driving.
Methodology & sources
- Survey of 2,000 respondents conducted in September 2024. Data split by age, gender and nearest city.
- Freedom of Information request submitted to the DVLA, providing a breakdown of the number of CU80 endorsements added to GB licence holders’ records, by postcode area.
- Provisional and Full driving licences by postcode district and gender, Great Britain: as of 11th May 2024, available at: https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/d0be1ed2-9907-4ec4-b552-c048f6aec16a/gb-driving-licence-data
