Driving penalties to double for hand held phones while driving.

The government is looking at proposals as part of a safety drive, to double the penalty for using a mobile phone while driving.

Met Police Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, has called for law breakers to be given 6 points on their licence rather than the present 3 points, this would mean a ban from driving if caught twice during a three year period.

It was an “interesting suggestion” that was being considered in an effort to end the “appalling” number of people killed and seriously injured (KSI) in accidents where, inattention due to using a hand held phone was found to be the cause of an accident.

“In 2011 driving while using a mobile phone was recorded as a contributory factor for some 23 fatalities and 74 serious injuries. We have got to change this and we have got to get that message across”.

“We have been very lucky in this country in seeing, year on year, the number of road deaths and casualties actually falling”.

“But one death is one too many and we need to look at those and see where we are going.”

In March figures showed the first increase in deaths and injuries on the capital’s roads for two decades. Since December 2003, it has been an unlawful to use a mobile phone held in the hand while driving.