Nearly one-in-five young people make video calls while driving

The number of drivers making and taking phone calls illegally is increasing, according to the RAC.

It's at the highest level since 2016, with young drivers particularly likely to make video calls or play games on a mobile phone while behind the wheel.

Almost one-in-five (18 per cent) of drivers aged 17-24 admit to taking part in video calls while behind the wheel, figures for the RAC Report on Motoring 2020 reveal. Some 29 per cent of drivers (almost one in three) of all ages say they make and receive calls while driving. The report surveyed 3068 UK participants.

Younger drivers are more than twice as likely to make or receive video calls while driving. On average, eight per cent of all UK drivers say they do this, with the figure rising to 13 per cent among those aged 25 to 44.

>>>Your guide to the best 2020 UK scrappage schemes

Currently, motorists can be given an on-the-spot fine of £200 and six penalty points if they're caught using a hand-held phone while driving. 

Equally worrying is the finding that just under one-in-10 drivers aged 17 to 24 (nine per cent) say they play games on their phones while driving, making them three times more likely to do this compared to the average UK driver.

After the quality of local roads, other drivers’ use of phones is the second biggest overall motoring-related concern identified in the 2020 RAC Report. A third of all UK drivers surveyed say the issue concerns them, while nearly eight-in-10 (79 per cent) want to see camera technology introduced to catch drivers acting illegally.

>>> Diesel drivers should feel 'short-changed' by fuel prices, say the RAC

However, the proportion of drivers admitting to other dangerous activities such as checking or sending text messages or taking photos or video appear to be reducing. Although, it's unclear whether this is simply down to lower overall car use this year as a result of the pandemic.

Eight per cent of all drivers say they text or send other messages while driving, down from 14 per cent last year and from a high of 20 per cent in 2016.