Jailed peer supports texting poll

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A Labour peer jailed after admitting dangerous driving is backing a poll highlighting the dangers of using hand-held mobile phones at the wheel.

Lord Ahmed of Rotherham was jailed for 12 weeks after sending and receiving text messages while driving.

Supporting an AA/Populus poll on mobile phone use among motorists, Lord Ahmed, 51, said he had "learnt the hard way".

The poll said 53% of the 11,147 drivers who responded thought texting at the wheel was as bad as drink-driving.

Lord Ahmed, who was freed by the Court of Appeal after serving only 16 days of his prison sentence, said: "More and more people are using their mobile phones throughout their daily activities.

"But, when you're driving it's time to switch off. I learnt this the hard way. Please do it now before it is too late."

Twitter use

The AA/Populus poll showed that two-thirds expected to go to jail if they caused a fatal accident while using a hand-held mobile phone, while a third saw using one as worse than speeding.

As many as 53% regarded the offence as being on a par with drink-driving and driving under the influence of drugs, but 55% said they would be tempted to answer their hand-held mobile if it rang when they were at the wheel.

Also, 38% cannot bring themselves to turn their phones off while driving.

The AA also found that some motorists were using the Twitter website while on the move.

Examples of this included the message: "Twitter and driving at the same time is not good glad weren't no cops around (sic)" and "Tweeting past a billboard as I speed".