Collision risk 23 times higher when texting at wheel

Drivers sending text messages while at the wheel are up to 23 times more likely to cause a road accident, according to findings.

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found drivers typically focused on phone screens for around five seconds, which at typical motorway speeds equates to the length of a football pitch.

Tom Dingus, director of the Virginia Tech institute, said: “You should never text at the wheel, it should be illegal.”

The findings are the result of equipping Long-haul trucks with cameras over an 18-month period.

There is currently a petition on the Downing Street website, posted by Road Peace’s campaigner Alan Ramsay, calling on the Government to pass legislation banning motorists caught texting at the wheel.