London -- Three quarters of people believe that drivers who use their mobile phones are needlessly risking their own and other people's safety, according to new research.

The research -- unveiled by Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick -- also showed that 90 percent of the public believe using a phone at the wheel has a negative impact on a person's driving.

"It's quite simple -- driving and mobile phones don't mix,” Fitzpatrick said. “Using a mobile behind the wheel makes you four times more likely to have a crash and a phone call just isn't worth that risk.

“Too many people are still putting themselves and others in danger for the sake of a phone call,” Fitzpatrick added.

A YouGov poll carried out for the Department for Transport also showed that:

--60 percent of people feel annoyed when they see a motorist using a phone, while just 2 percent do not feel at all concerned.

--Older people are more likely to think using a mobile when driving is unacceptable – 84 percent of people aged 55 or over think it is totally unacceptable, while 49 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds hold that view.

--Women are more likely to agree that drivers who use their mobiles are needlessly risking their own and other people's safety – 77 percent of those asked agreed, compared to 69 percent of men.

Recent research showed a 40 percent reduction in the number of car drivers seen using hand-held mobiles at the wheel between September 2006 and August 2007. Just
1 percent of car drivers were observed using a hand-held mobile while driving, compared with 1.7 percent in 2006.