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A major road-safety campaign is way Britain to get hands-free mobile phones banned. The charity Brake is also calling motorists to switch off their phones while driving. The group said the fines calling or texting while the wheel should also be increased up to tenfold, to $1,600. This is to provide a greater deterrent than the current penalty $160. Brake's suggestions follow a revelation that more than 575,000 British drivers had points their driving licence for using their phone. A spokeswoman Brake said: "We're living in an age when being constantly connected is the norm. More and more us have smartphones, and find it hard to switch off, even a minute."

Britain's Department Transport said that although road safety was a "top priority", it had "no plans to change the law the use hands-free devices". It added that all penalties were being "kept review to ensure they are appropriate". Brake said: "While there are enormous benefits to this new technology, it's also posing dangerous temptations to drivers to divert their concentration away from the critical task hand, often putting our most vulnerable road users danger." It added: "Many people who wouldn't dream drink-driving are succumbing to using their phone and other distractions while driving, oblivious that the effect can be similar and the consequences just as horrific."