Mobile phones: a bad call - How is it policed?

Police took action against 75,400 drivers in England and Wales in 2004. This suggests that only a tiny number of those using a phone are caught.

Alan Jones says: 'There has been a significant decline in the number of officers dedicated to roads policing over the past few years as priorities shift elsewhere.'

Points on a driving licence can push up insurance premiums, and 12 points in a three-year period leaves you liable to automatic disqualification for at least six months. If that isn't sufficient deterrent, there's the accident risk.

You're four times more likely to crash while on the phone, according to Australian research, and hands-free kits are only a little safer.

A study from the TRL has found that chatting on a mobile, even hands-free, while driving is more dangerous than drink-driving. Drivers' reaction times were 30% slower when on the phone than when over the legal alcohol limit, and 50% slower than in normal driving.

Both the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and road safety charity Brake have called for all phone use to be banned while driving.

'The deadly distraction is in the conversation, not the physical holding of the phone,' says Brake spokesperson Diane Ferreira. 'When you can't see the person you're speaking to, you have to concentrate much harder, so your brain is not fully engaged on driving.'

Even the DfT believes a hands-free call is just as distracting as a hand-held one. It is simply more difficult to enforce a ban on hands-free usage.

There is scepticism that the new penalties will be effective. PC Lawton says: 'We're hopeful that an endorsable offence will help, but while mobile phones are so vital to people, they are going to use one if they have it in the car.' He believes that shock tactics, such as showing people photos of accidents caused by careless driving, might be more effective.

Brake wants the fine increased to £1000, and the number of points raised to six. 'If you can afford a car and a phone, £60 is not a strong enough deterrent,' says Diane Ferreira.