Nearly three out of ten motorists text while driving, according to a national survey this week.

Road safety charity Brake, which carried out the survey with insurers Direct Line, claims texting makes drivers 23 times more likely to cause a crash.

The survey also found that one in 11 motorists surf the internet, e-mail and use apps and social networking sites while driving.

This week the Telegraph & Argus carried out a snapshot survey in Bradford city centre, which showed several drivers using mobile phones at the wheel.

According to West Yorkshire Police, a driver’s reaction time is up to 50 per cent slower than normal when driving.

“I would say it was at least 50 per cent,” says Carole Whittingham, whose son, Steven, died at the hands of a teenage ‘joyrider’ high on drink and drugs.

Carole says using a mobile while driving is as dangerous as drink-driving. “People are oblivious to the risk they’re taking. I make a point of observing bad drivers and I see so many people chatting away on mobiles while driving,” she says.

Carole’s son Steven died, aged 27, in January 1992. He was driving home from a petrol station when his car was hit by a stolen vehicle travelling at more than 80 mph which had lost control and sped down the wrong side of the road.

Carole set up SCARD, a charity which supports people affected by the death of a loved one through a road accident and campaigns for tighter road safety controls.

This week, police have been cracking down on speeding motorists, issuing fixed penalty notices and handing some summonses to appear in court.

On Monday, 18 drivers were stopped in the Toller Lane area during a police operation carried out in response to complaints about speeding. Inspector Steve Dodds, of the Manningham and Toller Lane Neighbourhood Policing Team, said the operation sent out a message to motorists who speed or drive without insurance.

“If you use a vehicle on the roads of Bradford illegally, there will be no excuse,” he said.

* Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should ring 0845 1235541 or 1235543, or e-mail carole.w@blueyonder.co.uk. For more about the charity, visit scard.org.uk.

* See today's T&A to read the full feature.