Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 18 May (HL135), whether they intend to conduct another survey of hand-held mobile use by drivers; if so, when they will conduct such a survey; what evidence they have that hand-held mobile phone use while driving is worse amongst young men; and whether they will consider a public information campaign aimed at all drivers including information that using a hand-held phone in stationary traffic is also illegal

The Department is planning to conduct a further observational survey of hand-held mobile phone use later this year.

There is evidence from the Department’s own observational survey, from the perception of risk work carried out by THINK!, and from external self-reporting surveys that young males constitute the biggest risk in respect of hand-held mobile phone use. The Department has commissioned further research to understand what drives these attitudes and behaviours; the report will be published in due course.

I understand the importance of conveying to drivers the message that they must not use a hand-held mobile phone while stationary in traffic and our recent consultation proposed a change to the Highway Code to make that point. THINK! will consider options for incorporating this message into future campaigns.