Stronger penalties needed for texting drivers, says Institute of Advanced Motorists

I don't see what all the fuss is about. Mobiles are just another excuse for lefties, environmentalists and the "road safety" gestapo to heap more misery on hard pressed drivers. There is no concrete evidence that using a mobile while driving is dangerous at all. Sweden doesn't have a ban and they don't have any "road safety" problems. How long before the "road safety" taliban ban drivers from blinking.. How long?

Seems to me like every other driver is using their phone in some way. I see it constantly, whether I'm driving or cycling. As per usual there is little enforcement and this is where the real problem lies.

Talk about stating the obvious,

Motorists have to be made aware that anything less than perfect is not acceptable. Yes people are people and will make mistakes, but that is not an excuse and is not acceptable.

If you choose to drive then you must accept the rules that apply, no speeding, no illegal parking, no dangerous manouvres. If you choose to ignore the law then you should forfeit your licence.

Every driver knows that you have 12 points available, so why are drivers allowed to claim hardship? If you gain 12 points then tough, you knew the rules when you passed your test.

Considering the number of idiots behind the wheel (isn't it the majority of the population, already?) maybe it's time for compulsory dashboard cams and some sort of black boxes in every car?

"average sentence for causing death by dangerous driving is four-and-a-half years in prison and a disqualification from driving for seven years"

Certainly NOT if you kill a cyclist...

See it all the time on my commutes. Drivers glancing down into their laps, it's a dead giveaway that they're reading/writing a text. Saw a guy sitting there in what had been a queue of traffic, he was so busy texting that he'd failed to notice the lights had changed and everyone in front of him had driven off. Everyone behind hooting. Tit.

Even saw a guy reading a book the other day. A book, not a road map. And I've seen drivers using tablets too, propped up on the bottom of the steering wheel.

But of course, everyone knows that it's actually those bloody cyclists causing all the problems, if only they paid road tax.

See people looking at their lap all the time texting away. At lights in the rest view mirror it's 50% of the time.

Other things seem a little grey. It's an offence to use a phone but it's seems to be a grey area if you are tapping on a Sat Nav whilst moving. You can drink and eat and fiddle with the radio too.

I have a hands free. Talking, listening and driving altogether do not seem more dangerous to me. I use my eyes to drive with not my mouth and ears and I'm perfectly capable of controlling a car whilst talking to someone. - whether they're over the speaker or in the car with me. Two kids screaming in the back is harder but I can't see them being banned. Which is a shame.

An Immediate ban and vehicle seizure should be the minimum penalty for being caught whilst using.

Nothing less + jail terms for dangerous driving after any incident.

If you pass a queue of cars at traffic lights on the right hand side, it's suprising how many are on smart-phones (or listening to mp3s via headphones because the car has no mp3 player - but I know drivers aren't the only ones there)
I guess that's ok while in stationary traffic, but I'm not convinced they get left alone when driving - you see a few head-down, glance up, head-down drivers around and it's worrying. But like many traffic offences, enforcement is difficult or just not prioritised and the dis-incentives are weak compared to the expectations of anything actually going wrong, or being caught.