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Thousands of motorists are risking their lives by tweeting while behind the wheel, a survey found today.
About one in 10 use social networks and other internet functions on the road despite knowing that it is illegal, according to an online insurer.
The trend has been accelerated by the growing use of advanced "smart phones", such as the iPhone, that allow easy access to the internet and thousands of other applications.
Tweets apparently sent by drivers in the past week include one that said "haha twitter and driving...* can do 2 things at the same time."
The survey found that almost half of drivers find alerts from mobiles or BlackBerrys "very distracting".
Despite that, the majority find it impossible to resist keeping their mobiles turned on in the car.
Fewer than one in five said they turn off all mobile technology and more than a third admit responding to mobile alerts while driving.
Research from America found that drivers are 23 times more likely to have an accident if they are texting or reading emails while driving.
The phenomenon inspired Gwent police to produce a hard-hitting four-minute video in which a young woman driver causes the death of two of her friends and a couple in another car by texting while driving.
The gruesome film has become one of the most-watched clips on YouTube.
Mike Pickard, head of risk and underwriting at esure, said: "With advances in technology and the rise in mobile phone applications available, motorists are being increasingly distracted while behind the wheel - especially as constantly updating friends and family on what we're doing is now becoming the norm.
"Our advice to motorists is to remove this temptation altogether by switching off all mobile technology before driving."
Reader views (7)
George & Lesley, well said. I put my pennys worth on the Boris cycle section, but probably got a rabib response from the anti-cycling Nazis. Some idiot even thought the police get more calls about cycling on the pavement than any other issue. They can talk some bull.
17 million registered car users in the UK, so 10% of that figure is 1.7 million. That is (according to the above article) how many people are driving while not paying attention to the road. And, yet still, the anti-cycling brigade think that cyclists are the most dangerous. I think they need to grow a brain cell or 2 before comming to assumptions like that.
- Dom, London
Lesley - they're probably texting a reply right now!
- C.Nichol, London
Just as expected from motorists, ban them from London streets.
And if any motorists are reading this USE YOUR INDICATORS, they are not just orange things to make you cars look pretty.
- David, London
Too right George! And as per usual the anti-cycling brigade are out in force on the Boris article, yet strangely absent on this issue - which highlights the disgraceful behaviour of many motorists. Damned hypocrites the lot of them. Someone care to defend drivers who tweet then? C'mon one of you fools must have something to say on this matter...
- Lesley, Hastings, UK
Foolish motorists will always run the risk of using mobiles, iPhones, etc, while driving. Accidents happen to OTHER drivers, never THEM ........... until it happens, of course!
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
The survey is wrong. Thousands of motorists aren't risking their lives by tweeting while behind the wheel. They are posing a risk to other road users - particularly cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians - who don't have the benefit of a well-designed collapsible steel cage, a seat belt and an air bag to protect them from their selfish stupidity.
We hear a lot of propaganda from the motoring lobby about speed cameras existing solely to make money for the government. If that were really true, nobody would use a hand-held mobile phone while driving for fear of being fined. It is a sad fact that the police are not giving this particular crime the attention it merits.
- Austen, London
Thank goodness they're doing this while driving, and not cycling as I'm sure it would REALLY attract the attention of the anti-cycling zealots....
- George, London
