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Kent County Council (KCC) is back on the road highlighting the dangers of using your phone hands-free whilst driving, with road safety officials describing it as being “as dangerous as being drunk at the wheel”.

“This campaign aims to highlight to drivers that using your mobile phone hands-free is not as safe as you may think, even though its legal,” commented KCC Road Safety Team Leader Vicky Harvey.

“Even an unimpaired driver travelling at 70mph will travel at least 31 metres whilst reacting in an emergency but at the drink-drive limit, due to the impairment, this extends to at least 35 metres.

“However, driving while talking on your hands-free mobile phone means you will travel at least 39 metres, a further eight metres before touching the brake pedal – that’s as long as a double decker bus.

“If it’s a hand-held phone, the impairment is even worse.”

The faster a motorist travels means they will have less time to identify hazards and react to what is happening around them.

A survey carried out by KCC estimated that 43% of drivers use a hand held mobile phone when driving and 55% use hands free.

Last year, Kent Police recorded 1,096 offences of people using their phones at the wheel - up from 824 in 2016.

The campaign will run throughout September and include radio, bus and social media advertising.

“Of course, delaying your reactions will extend your stopping distance so, working with our partners, this campaign seeks to highlight the additional risks drivers who use a mobile phone face.

“My advice is to delay the call, not your reactions.”

So you think you’re up to speed on driving when it comes to mobile phones?

Here are a some debunked myths, just in case.

Myth: It is legal to use your mobile phone when stopping at traffic lights or queuing in traffic

Fact: It is illegal to use a mobile phone whilst operating a car if the keys are in the ignition.

Myth: Using your phone via Bluetooth or hands-free device is safe

Fact: It is almost impossible to concentrate on two things at once safely and using a hands-free phone or Bluetooth can be just as distracting as a hand-held device.

Myth: It is legal to use a hand-held phone whilst supervising a learner driver

Fact – You are not legally allowed to use a hand-held phone whilst supervising a learner driver.

Myth: You cannot call 999 or 112 if the vehicle is moving or if you are stuck in traffic

Fact: In an emergency, find a safe place to stop, take the keys out of the ignition and call the emergency services.

Myth: Talking on a mobile phone whilst driving is no different to speaking to a passenger

Fact: Talking to someone over the phone is much harder than talking to someone sat next to you. Not only are people on the phone harder to hear, they also cannot see the road and will not be able to respond to any changes e.g. keeping quiet when you need to concentrate more.

Myth: A quick text or status update is fast enough to not cause a distraction

Fact:Even the quickest message or status update involves thinking about before and after the action, which means your thoughts are no longer on the road, where they should be.

Myth: We can all multi-task, so using a phone and driving shouldn’t be a problem.

Fact: Incorrect, your brain cannot concentrate on two things at once equally, it will always pick what seems to be the most important activity and focus on that. Don’t let your mobile phone cause you to lose focus on driving safely.