Drivers guilty of using mobile phone almost doubles

The number of drivers caught flouting the law by using a hand-held mobile phone behind the wheel has increased by more than 90% in the past two years.

Reaching a seven-year high, some 13,332 drivers were successfully prosecuted in England and Wales, compared to 6,990 drivers who were found guilty in 2022.

The Government changed the law to cover any use of a handheld phone while driving in 2022, extending the type of devices contravening the law as well as expanding the definition of ‘using’ to include using a camera, accessing the internet and checking notifications.

Anyone caught using their hand-held device faces a fine of up to £1,000 as well as six points on their licence or a full driving ban.

The AA believes this action, coupled with Police Forces across the country using roadside cameras, covert HGVs and targeted periods of enforcement have contributed to the rise.

“Despite a high-profile change in the law, it seems many drivers are still falling foul when it comes to using a mobile phone behind the wheel,” said Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA. “While our phones have become smart, it is dumb to play with it when driving.”

Analysis by the AA of figures released from the Ministry of Justice also show that driving without vehicle tax rose to an all-time high of 99,694 convictions, a year-on-year increase of 94%.

Similarly, drivers failing to comply with red lights and signs were at a 12-year high of 11,940 guilty verdicts.

“It is also concerning that driving without tax almost doubled in a year,” continued Cousens. “While too early to tell if this rise is related to the cost of living, the high conviction rates should serve as a deterrent not to dodge paying for a virtual tax disc.”

Elsewhere, court cases for speeding offences fell by 8% with more than 203,500 guilty verdicts handed to drivers.

When looking at motor insurance cases, driving a vehicle without insurance fell to 71,458 last year (76,390 in 2022), but keeping a vehicle without insurance reaching a four-year high (58,690 in 2023 vs 40,392 in 2022).

Drink and drug driving related cases, seatbelt offences and driving whilst disqualified also remained at similar levels to 2022.

Source: The AA

Overall, 732,758 drivers were in the dock for motoring related offences in 2023, with 672,901 being found guilty – a conviction rate of 92%.

Motoring offences also took up the lion’s share of the courts time, with three in every five cases being for driving misdemeanours.