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

Britain's Department for Transport said that although road safety was "top priority", it had "no plans to change law around use of hands-free devices". It added that all penalties were being "kept under 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 critical task at hand, often putting our most vulnerable road users in danger." It added: "Many people who wouldn't dream of drink-driving are succumbing to using their phone and other distractions while driving, oblivious that effect can be similar and consequences just as horrific."