Fleet World Workshop Tools
Car Tax Calculator
CO2 Calculator
Van Tax Calculator
BiK Rates Company Car Tax

6,000 drivers caught at least twice for driving distracted

A hard-core of drivers are persisting in using handheld phones behind the wheel despite the increase in penalties last March.

RAC research in 2017 revealed that 23% of drivers admit to using a handheld phone when driving and 40% said they did when in stationary traffic

RAC research in 2017 revealed that 23% of drivers admit to using a handheld phone when driving and 40% said they did when in stationary traffic

DVLA figures revealed by the RAC show that more than 6,000 motorists have at least two endorsements on their licence for driving while distracted, including using a handheld mobile phone, although the actual number of drivers habitually using their phone is reckoned to be much higher.

According to research carried out for the RAC’s Report on Motoring 2017, 23% of drivers admit to using a handheld phone when driving and 40% said they did when in stationary traffic.

Yet an annual average of 43.5k CU80 endorsements – which covers breach of requirements as to control of the vehicle, mobile telephone etc – represents less than 0.1% of the total number of 48.2 million driving licence holders in Great Britain.

RAC road safety spokesman Pete Williams said: “Clearly, enforcement is falling far short when it comes to tackling the handheld mobile phone menace and the number of CU80 endorsements shows that the massively under-funded police forces are only scratching the surface of the problem.”

For more of the latest industry news, click here.

Natalie Middleton

Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for over 20 years, previously as assistant editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day.