New Allianz research reveals widespread support for tougher penalties for drivers using phones behind the wheel.

Despite this, nearly a third of motorists admit to texting while driving.

Illegal phone use and distraction remain a major road safety concern.

Hang up

Two-thirds (67%) of UK motorists believe fines for using a mobile phone while driving should be increased, according to a new survey by Allianz.

It also highlights the gap between public support for tougher enforcement and drivers’ own behaviour.

The findings come from the insurer’s 14th annual Allianz Motor Day study, which surveyed drivers across nine countries.

UK motorists were the most likely to support higher fines.

Drivers currently caught using a handheld mobile phone while driving face a £200 fixed penalty and six penalty points.

However, 54% of those surveyed by Allianz also supported higher penalty points and driving bans, while a third (33%) wanted more police and camera checks to catch offenders.

 

 

Yes but no

Despite this appetite for tougher penalties, 31% admitted to texting while driving.

A further 19% said they regularly used their phones for navigation, while 18% had experienced a near-miss caused by phone use during the past three years.

Among those drivers who regularly use their phones, the near-miss figure rose to 59%.

Although 86% recognised that staying focused was their own responsibility, just 37% considered handheld phone use a high-risk activity.

More worryingly, 21% regarded it as barely risky at all.

Matt Cox, chief claims officer at Allianz UK, said: “It’s encouraging that UK drivers recognise both the seriousness of phone distraction and their own responsibility for staying focused.”

He added: “But awareness must translate into behaviour. Checking a message, making a call or changing something on a screen may feel routine, yet those few seconds can be enough for conditions on the road to change completely.”

Worrying levels of phone use

The survey comes amid fresh evidence that drivers continue to underestimate the dangers of distraction.

Research published by the RAC in May 2026 found that 15% of motorists admitted using handheld phones to browse the internet, text or post on social media while driving, the highest proportion since 2018.

One in five (20%) admitted checking messages or notifications, while 12% had taken photographs or recorded videos behind the wheel.

Official Department for Transport figures show that a driver using a mobile device was recorded as a contributory factor in 340 reported road collisions in Great Britain in 2024, including 20 fatal collisions.

Meanwhile, 40,723 drivers in England and Wales were convicted of using a handheld mobile phone while driving in 2024, the highest figure since 2016.

The Government’s Crime Survey for England and Wales also found that 4.3% of drivers reported using a phone in their hand while driving in the year ending March 2025.

Nearly half (49.2%) reported using phones through Bluetooth, voice commands or dashboard holders, although hands-free use can still cause dangerous distraction.

Numerous academic studies have shown that using a phone while driving increases the risk of a collision, suggesting drivers using phones are four times more likely to be involved in an injury collision.

This applies to both hands-free and handheld phone use.

The mental distraction of a conversation can impair concentration even when a phone is hands-free.

 

 

Prevent or punish?

Allianz’s wider research programme, combining collision data analysis, vehicle testing, cognitive modelling and driving simulator studies, linked distraction to around one in three road crashes.

In simulated driving scenarios, distracted drivers performed worse than those driving with a simulated blood alcohol concentration of 0.8 per mille.

Cox said the existing penalties rightly carried serious consequences, but added that the most important decision was for drivers to put their phones away and concentrate fully on the road.

Higher fines and stronger enforcement may deter some offenders, but the findings suggest that improving driver attitudes remains equally important.

Motorists should programme navigation before setting off, silence notifications and stop somewhere safe and legal if they need to use their phones.

Ultimately, the consequences of a moment’s distraction may last a lifetime.