Car insurance hikes for mobile phone offenders
Date: 19/05/2008 13:09:39
Motorists who flout the law and use their mobile phones while driving are getting hit by both police action and insurance costs, research shows.
The AA has found motorists who are caught making calls at the wheel could be forking out a total of £5.4 million in extra
car insurance costs, with some providers upping charges by 18.1 per cent because of the added risk.
Drivers attempting to use a hand held mobile phone put the safety of themselves and others at risk and face a £60 fixed penalty charge from police if spotted.
Director of AA Insurance Simon Douglas, said: "Many offenders are not aware of the premium rise and we hope raising awareness of this extra cost will help drivers think twice about chatting on a hand held phone."
He added police will often examine mobile phone records following a crash to check if a phone call was a contributory factor.
Previous studies carried out by the AA Trust have shown drivers are four times more likely to be involved in an accident while using a mobile phone.