According to recent reports, van drivers as well as van insurance customers, should know not be under the illusion hands-free mobile phone kits are safe.

According to the driving safety organisation, RoadSafe, businesses would be well-advised to ban their employees from taking or making telephone calls behind the wheel. It made this comment after a recent court case during which a company director was charged with careless driving.

Some van drivers still choose to use hand free phone kits, but this has led to disastrous circumstances. A recent case was that of, Lynne-Marie Howden who had been speaking on a hands-free device when she collided with another vehicle in a fatal accident in Warwickshire during November 2007. She received a £2,000 fine and a 12-month ban.

Firms’ policies can be liable

RoadSafe warned, that the fact it is legal for drivers to use hands-free kits, is irrelevant in the event of a crash. It is also noted that van insurance premiums can rise considerably, if a driver is convicted of a motoring offence.

David Faithful, legal adviser to Roadsafe, which delivers the ‘Driving for Better Business’ campaign on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT), said: “It is not just drivers who could find themselves prosecuted as a consequence of a road crash caused as a result of a distracting phone conversation.

“If the conversation is work related then their employer’s mobile phone policy will be examined by crash investigators. If there is no policy or it is not being managed effectively then the company could also be charged with offences.”

He said in conclusion: "The issue is whether the telephone conversation was sufficient to cause the driver to be distracted from concentrating on driving."

In addition, Roz Cumming a spokeswoman for Brake commented on the importance of motorists concentrating on the road. She said: "It is all too tempting for drivers to let their mind wander from their driving - yet in a split second their distraction can cause death.

RAC’s Campaign

RAC’s campaign for van drivers to switch off their mobiles when driving continues on the fifth anniversary of the legal ban. The use of hand-held mobile phones whilst driving, according to the RAC Foundation, has caused 348 accidents and 25 fatalities.

The ban which came into effect on 1st December 2003 made it illegal to use a hand-held phone whilst driving, but five years down the line the RAC are still keen to let van drivers know of the huge road safety problems that can be caused by the usage of mobiles – in particular texting which too many people think is acceptable and not dangerous.

Professor Stephen Glaister, Director of the RAC Foundation, said: “The participants in this study were almost unanimous in their view that drink driving was the most dangerous action on the road. Yet this research clearly shows that a motorist who is texting is significantly more impaired than a motorist at the legal limit for alcohol. No responsible motorist would drink and drive. We need to ensure that text devotees understand that texting is one of the most hazardous things that can be done while in charge of a motor vehicle.”