Drivers caught on the phone 'face bigger premiums'
Date: 19/06/2008 12:00:00
Car insurance premiums are now likely to increase considerably for drivers caught using mobile phones at the wheel, it has been revealed.
The Daily Mail reports some cover companies now ask motorists if they have a conviction for using a handset while driving when working out
car insurance quotes.
According to the paper, some firms add as much as 30 per cent to premiums, meaning the average motorist would end up paying an extra £204 per year on their premium.
Quoted by the Daily Mail, AA spokesman Ian Crowder said: "In our experience, drivers who have been convicted of using their phones tend to pick up more claims and are therefore deemed to be more dangerous."
Statistics from the paper also say driver concentration is reduced by 37 per cent when talking on a mobile phone, while half of all motorists regularly text while at the wheel.
Drivers caught committing the offence face hefty fines and penalty points on their licences.
The government first made using a handset at the wheel illegal in 2003 and earlier this year the minimum fine rose from £30 to £60.