In a bid to combat the rising tide of mobile phone use behind the wheel, Liverpool City Council has launched a campaign aimed at young drivers.
The message of the campaign is clear: Driving demands 100% focus, and any distraction, especially from mobile phones, can have devastating consequences.
The campaign comes as alarming statistics reveal a surge in mobile phone use among young drivers. According to the RAC’s 2024 Report on Motoring, a staggering 43% of young motorists admit to listening to voice notes while driving without hands-free technology, and 40% confess to recording messages.
These figures starkly contrast with the overall driving population, where the rates are just 14% and 9%, respectively.
Merseyside Police enforced nearly 2,500 mobile phone offences across Merseyside in 2024 – up from just over 1,600 in 2023.
Liverpool City Council says it is committed to making the City’s roads safer for everyone. This campaign is just one step in ongoing efforts to educate drivers and enforce the law.
Cllr Dan Barrington, Liverpool City Council cabinet member for transport and connectivity, said: “Driving is a responsibility, not a game.
“When you’re behind the wheel, your only ‘screen time’ should be looking through the windscreen. A momentary glance at your phone can lead to a lifetime of regret.
“It’s deeply concerning to see such a high proportion of young drivers putting themselves and others at risk.
“We need to change this culture of distraction and make it clear that using a mobile phone while driving is simply unacceptable.”
Inspector Gavin Dixon of Merseyside Police, Roads Policing Department, said: “As a Roads Policing Department we have to deal with the very real consequences of distracted driving.
“Every year people are killed or serious injured by drivers not paying attention, whether that be mobile phone use or some other in car distraction. We use a number of tactics to catch drivers that wish to put their own convenience before other people’s safety.
“In the last 12 months, we have deployed unmarked vehicles, unmarked motorcycles, AI camera detection equipment and arial CCTV resulting in more and more people getting caught.
“Our message is simple, leave your phone alone or we might be speaking to you next. We can’t be everywhere, but we can be anywhere.”
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