Sir, - Although people who drive while over the legal alcohol limit are regularly pulled over, stopped at check points and rightly penalised by the guards, no such system exists for those who blatantly use mobile phones while driving.
Everyday observant on-lookers are witnesses to these selfish, careless individuals using their phones whilst trying to drive. They take their hands completely off the wheel to change gears, have difficulty negotiating roundabouts with one hand on the wheel and quite obviously are more tuned into what they are talking about than to what's happening in the traffic around them. Some users even try to smoke cigarettes at the same time, whilst others break red traffic lights to avoid having to stop.
Such behaviour is downright dangerous so using mobile phones whilst in control of a vehicle should be made illegal. Anyone involved in an accident caused by a mobile phone user's lack of attention should be compensated immediately for the resultant medical bills.
The recent spate of advertisements, which actively encourages people to phone home from the car, should be withdrawn and, as was the case with driving while under the influence of alcohol, mobile phone users should be shamed into giving up this practise. - Yours, etc., Barbara Lloyd,
Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.