News 2004
Virgin Mobile Welcomes Tougher Measures for Use of Mobiles While Driving
30/11/2004
Virgin Mobile today welcomed the announcement, in the Government’s Road Safety Bill, that there will be an increase in penalties for motorists caught using their hand-held mobile phones while driving. The updated measures will make it an endorsable offence (3 penalty points) as well as increasing the fine from £30 to £60.
However, Virgin Mobile recommends that the safest possible option for motorists is to switch off their phones entirely while driving. Virgin Mobile urges motorists to make safety their number one priority at all times, and not to make phone calls even when using a hands-free kit. Virgin Mobile recommends that:
- Motorists switch off phones and allow calls to be diverted to voicemail (free on Virgin Mobile) while driving.
- Drivers should be aware that they could still be prosecuted under existing legislation for careless driving if, for example, they are involved in an accident and are found to have been making a phone call using hands-free equipment at the time.
Virgin Mobile has banned all its employees from using hand-held mobile phones or similar devices while driving on company duty. Virgin Mobile will at no time require its staff to make work-related calls while driving, and hopes that other employers will adopt similar measures to ensure the safety of their employees.
Steven Day, Virgin Mobile’s corporate affairs director said: “We are delighted that the Government has increased the penalties for motorists who use hand-held phones while driving, and we are pleased to support this action making driving safer for all motorists and pedestrians. We believe that risk not only lies in holding a phone, but in holding a conversation. Therefore, we urge drivers to obey the new regulations and let their voicemail service take calls for them while they’re at the wheel. Virgin Mobile customers can access their voicemail free of charge, and we hope that any drivers whose networks do not offer free voicemail will consider switching to Virgin Mobile.”
For further information please contact:
Virgin Mobile:
Press office on 0845 600 6272, press.office@virginmobile.com
Alison Bonny – 07802 430276, Alison.bonny@virginmobile.com
Joanne Baker – 07941 233300, Joanne.baker@virginmobile.com
Notes to editors:
About Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile Holdings (UK) plc, the UK's largest mobile virtual network operator, is majority owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and uses T-Mobile's network. Since its launch in November 1999, Virgin Mobile has attracted more than 4.6 million customers.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600; on the web at www.virginmobile.com or on the High Street at approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Specialist Stores, Virgin Megastores, Sainsbury, Tesco, Safeway, Asda, John Lewis, Littlewoods, Argos, The Link, Dixons, Carphone Warehouse, Curry's, Comet, Phones 4 U, TOMO, Woolworths, Toys R Us and Rymans.
Virgin Mobile employs approximately 1,400 staff at three sites, Trowbridge, London and Daventry, and has an outsourced customer service centre operated by approximately 200 staff in Middlesbrough. It has been voted one of the top 50 places to work in Britain for two years running in an annual Financial Times survey.
Virgin Mobile's customers are considered the most satisfied in the pre-pay sector according to a recent UK survey by market researchers JD Power and Associates.
