Switch off your phone: Midlands Air Ambulance charity in bid to safe lives on roads

The move comes as new figures show that a quarter of all drivers in the UK – the equivalent of ten million people – admitted to illegally making or receiving calls whilst driving in 2018.

The campaign has been launched to raise drivers' awareness of the risks and pitfalls that result in traffic collisions – which cost the charity £1.68 million last year.

Four in 10 motorists admitted to checking social media messages, texts or emails whilst at the wheel of a stationary vehicle, such as when they are at traffic lights or sat in congestion, a small increase on the year before.

Midlands Air Ambulance’s corporate partner, TTC Group, which runs speed awareness courses across the UK, suggests drivers enable their mobile’s ‘do not disturb’ feature, so they are not distracted or tempted to use their phone whist on the road.

Andy Wheeler, the group's head of technical delivery, said: “Driving requires your full attention and anything that diverts your attention away from the road is a distraction, has a detrimental effect on driving performance and can lead to an on-road incident.

"Texting, making and receiving calls or livestreaming while driving is a serious and growing threat. Our advice is simple – switch your phone off and don’t take it out until you have reached your destination and it is safe to do so.”

Midlands Air Ambulance charity’s Drive4Life campaign, in partnership with corporate partner M6toll, is highlighting the cost of attending collisions to the charity.

Each air ambulance mission costs £2,500 – all funded by donations from the communities it serves and local businesses.

Emma Gray, for Midlands Air Ambulance, said: "It’s disappointing that so many drivers are still using their mobile phone when in control of a car.

"Last year, we attended 672 road accidents, which cost the charity £1.68 million. A significant number of motorists seem to underestimate the dangers of sending a quick text or making a call. However based on the severity of some of the missions that our teams attend, it is important to remember that a few seconds of distraction can result in a life-altering incident.”

James Hodson, M6toll director of motorway operations and facilities, said: “Even on a smooth and free-flowing road like M6toll, conditions can change in an instant, so it is never safe to use your mobile phone while driving."