Shropshire Star mobile phone survey: Drivers still failing to get the message

The shocking figures show that 19 per cent of people say they have used their phone to make or receive a call while driving in the last 12 months, with 36 per cent also admitting that they have checked their phone while driving.

In a result which is even more alarming, eight per cent of the 600 people who responded said they had browsed the internet while driving, while 24 per cent said they had used their phone to send or read a text message while behind the wheel.

Despite those figures, 91 per cent of people agree that using a phone while driving is dangerous, with slightly fewer, 85 per cent, are backing stronger punishment for those who flout the law.

The Shropshire Star carried out the same survey last year, and the latest figures show a small fall on the previous year's results, with the biggest drop in the number of people who admit to taking or making a call, which is down from 24 to 19 per cent.

Anna Higgins, of the Safer Roads Partnership in Warwickshire and West Mercia, called for people to think seriously about the consequences of their actions.

She said: "It is alarming to see the results of the survey, which show that almost a fifth of people admitted to receiving a call while driving, and almost a quarter sent or read a text message.

"Lives have been lost through this sort of action while other people have been left with injuries that will affect them for the rest of their lives.

"We would urge everyone to think about the consequences of their actions and ask themselves how they would feel if they caused a collision and injured or killed somebody else, simply for the sake of a call or text message."

West Mercia Police joined with the safer roads partnership this week for a campaign to crack down on those breaking the law.

Ms Higgins said that since the start of the month nearly 300 motorists have been caught using their phone at the wheel.

She said: "Officers from Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police are continuing to carry out targeted enforcement and education, and crack down on this offence.

"Since November 1, 287 motorists have been caught using their phone at the wheel and now face the penalty involved. With mobile phone penalties set to double next year, we are asking everyone to consider if that call or text is really worth the risk?"

Meanwhile, West Mercia's Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said it is important the issue remains a priority for policing. He said: "The use of phones while driving is not acceptable. We know all too well the dangerous consequences that a lack of concentration for even a split second can have. It's important we change the culture around this, and make using your phone while driving is as socially unacceptable as drink driving.

"I am pleased with the police approach, both in terms of enforcement and awareness raising. I actively support the local and national campaigns. I will ensure the police have the resources to make this a priority, in order to make our roads safer. This isn't however a problem that can be tackled by the police alone. It needs all of our communities to show that this dangerous behaviour will not be tolerated."

There was widespread national anger this month when lorry driver Tomasz Kroker was jailed for the deaths of Tracy Houghton, 45, her sons Ethan, 13, and 11-year-old Josh, and step-daughter Aimee Goldsmith, 11. He crashed into them while scrolling through music on his phone in Berkshire.

In Shropshire, lorry driver Ian Glover, 44, was jailed for five years in 2014. He was flicking through profiles of women on an explicit dating website when he hit a Vauxhall on the A5 between Telford and Shrewsbury.

He killed Laura Jane Thomas, 20, and seriously injured her fiance Lewis Anthony Pagett.

A female lorry driver who was on her mobile phone when she caused a crash that seriously injured a baby was also jailed for 10 months. Nell Owen was seen throwing a mobile phone into a field after causing the smash on the A470 at Caersws, near Newtown. She was jailed for 10 months last year.

Statistics released under the Freedom of Information Act also revealed that 2,437 drivers across the West Mercia Police region, including Shropshire, have been given fixed penalty notices or fined after prosecutions in court since 2012. More than 5,000 have also been stopped and either given a verbal warning or escaped punishment by agreeing to go on a road safety course.

The most fines were dished out in 2013 when West Mercia Police dealt with 703 motorists using a hand-held mobile while driving to either make a call, write a text message or use an app.

In 2016 up to October 21, 122 motorists have been given fixed penalty notices for the offence and a further 16 fined following a court prosecution. Since 2012, West Mercia Police officers have handed out 1,260 on-the-spot fines with 1,177 drivers facing court proceedings and being fined.