Other drivers’ use of mobile phones is seen as the most annoying habit on the road despite offences declining.

The data finds convictions for mobile use were down across the country in 2018, except in three regions: Yorkshire, North East and East Midlands

Data, published by Kwik Fit following a survey of more than 2,000 drivers, found that seeing other motorists using a mobile phone handset to talk, text or use social media sits in the top five most annoying habits for 56% of drivers. This is more than tailgating (50%), failing to indicate (49%) and dangerous overtaking (38%).

However, there has been a national decrease in the number of motorists receiving penalty points for using a mobile phone behind the wheel. New figures obtained by Kwik Fit through a Freedom of Information request show that the number of drivers committing a CU80 offence, defined as a ‘breach of requirements as to control of the vehicle, such as using a mobile phone’, fell by 19% nationally between 2017 and 2018.

The biggest percentage drop was in London, where the number of drivers convicted fell by 32.3%, followed by the South East and the North West, which saw decreases of 22.5% and 18.9% respectively.

The figures have been published two weeks after latest Home Office data on the number of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued by police last year showed the number of drivers given FPNs for mobile phone use fell by 27% to 38,601 from 52,993 in 2017.

Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit, said: “It’s vital for road safety that we make using the phone when driving as socially unacceptable as drinking and driving. Until we have fully autonomous vehicles, anything which diverts a driver’s attention from the road is a risk to their safety and those of the road users around them.”

Table 1: Number of drivers issued with penalty points for CU80 offence

Source: Freedom of Information request to DVLA, 2019

Table 2: The most annoying habits made by other drivers

Source: Research for Kwik Fit, 2019