Many young drivers admit instant messaging at the wheel, survey finds

LONDON — More than two in five young drivers admit to illegally reading or sending a phone message while behind the wheel, a survey in the UK has found.

UK charity IAM RoadSmart, which commissioned the poll of 2,025 UK motorists, said many inexperienced drivers "struggle to detach themselves from the distractive nature of a smart phone."

It added that texting, social media use and video calling is “rife” among young drivers.

Some 43% of survey respondents aged 17-24 said they have illegally written or read a phone message while driving in the previous 12 months. That is compared with 29% of drivers aged 35-44, and 10% of those aged 45-54.

One in six (16%) young drivers said they had engaged in instant messaging behind the wheel during at least half of journeys.

More than a third (34%) said they have used a handheld phone to record video footage or take a photo when at the controls of a vehicle.

Fines for illegal phone use at the wheel vary from country to country and typically range between €100 to €200 in Europe. In the UK, pentalties were doubled in March 2017 to a £200 fine and six penalty points.

Analysis by IAM RoadSmart found offenders also face “legal, insurance, commuting and re-test” costs totalling up to £12,000.

UK Department for Transport (DfT) figures show 154 people were killed or seriously injured in crashes on Britain’s roads where a driver using a mobile was a contributory factor last year.

"A troubling number of young people are not only dicing with death, but they are also putting themselves at huge financial risk giving into the urge of using their smart phone," IAM RoadSmart director of policy and standards Nicholas Lyes said.

"While the fear of missing out appears to be a huge...