Government set to double penalties for drivers sending texts
The governement is set to ramp up measures to deter drivers from texting at the wheel.
Fines and points for drivers using mobile phones will double next year; anyone caught texting will get six points on their licence and will also have to pay a £200 fine.
Read more: Seat and Cosmopolitan magazine have designed a special lady car for ladies
A newly-qualified driver could be forced to re-take their driving test if they are spotted using a handheld phone.
Experienced drivers could end up in court for breaching the rules twice, meaning they could be slapped with fines of up to £1,000 and could get a six-month driving ban.
The RAC recently reported that illegal use of phones while driving has reached "epidemic proportions", with 11 million drivers saying they have made or received a call while driving in the last year.
Read more: Guess who's been given a six-month driving ban for speeding
The automotive services company said:
Attitudes towards handheld mobile use have become worryingly relaxed over the last two years.
And it is not just attitudes that are shifting – actual behaviours are changing significantly too with the percentage of drivers who admit to having used a handheld mobile phone while driving having shot up.
The percentage of people who think it is fine to answer a phone call has doubled from seven per cent in 2014 to 14 per cent this year, the RAC said. The proportion of people who admit to having used a mobile while driving has jumped to 31 per cent compared to just eight per cent two years ago.