silicon survey: Mobile ban backed by hypocritical third who say they're in the wrong

The hard line against use of handheld mobile phones while driving isn't confined to those who never do it. Research carried out by silicon.com shows that of those who admit to operating a vehicle on the road with a handset to their ear, 31.5 per cent say such behaviour is 'Never' acceptable.

Of the 2,325 readers polled, only 344 - just under 15 per cent - said they drive while holding a handset to the ear. Besides those answering 'Never', 65.3 per cent of the 344 said they use a phone that way 'When the road conditions mean it is safe to do so' - which could mean in a traffic jam or on a straightforward or uncrowded road.

The remaining 3.2 per cent responded 'All the time, I am a good driver'.

However, only 14.5 per cent of those who admit to talking with a handset to their ear believe 'all in-car mobile use should be banned, including texting and hands-free' - nearer the zero level one might expect from this group.

For respondents who took a more hard line approach to mobile phone use in cars, answers were more predictable. Just over 20 per cent of those polled - 515 people - said they 'No, never' use a phone while driving. Out of this group, 94.5 per cent want the action to be made an offence, compared to an overall survey figure of 77.6 per cent.

When it comes to punishments, 35.3 per cent of this group want a points-on-licence punishment for offenders, versus an overall figure of 29.9 per cent, and only 1.4 per cent say 'They shouldn't be punished' against 8.8 per cent for the 2,325 who shared their views.

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