The survey, carried out by Brake in partnership with Direct Line, suggests 3% of drivers used a hand-held mobile on every journey they took in the past 12 months – the equivalent of 1.2 million people.

A further 16% – or 6.6 million UK licence holders – broke the law by using their phone while driving ‘at some point’ over the past year, according to the survey.

Brake says it is concerned by the findings of the survey and has called on the Government to do more to tackle the issue.

The road safety charity wants to see an urgent focus on improving enforcement – as well as a consultation on extending the existing ban to include hands-free devices.

Joshua Harris, director of campaigns for Brake said: “When you’re behind the wheel, it only takes a moment’s distraction to cause devastation.

“This report reveals the shocking extent of the distraction on our roads with over a million drivers admitting to using their phones behind the wheel on every journey. We need the Government to take note of these findings and act to tackle in-vehicle distraction now.

Approximately two thirds of respondents to the Brake survey agreed that the Government should act to further limit in-vehicle distraction.

Joshua Harris added: “It’s positive to see drivers, themselves, acknowledge the increasing issue of distraction on the roads and that they give their backing to calls for the Government to tackle this issue.

“As a first step, we want the Government to consult on the use of hands-free phones behind the wheel, with the evidence clearly pointing towards the need for a ban.”

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