THEY are a gadget many of us cannot live without.

Mobile phones afford us instant communication allowing us to catch up with family, friends and contacts at the touch of a button.

Of course, some rely on them more than others, but there are times when we really should know when to put them down and that is when we get behind the wheel.

Driving while using a mobile phone is illegal, yet many motorists continue to flout the law and - through their actions - could be putting their life, and others, at risk.

A recent survey by the road safety charity, Brake, reveals almost a quarter (23 per cent) of drivers have talked to family on the phone while driving in the past year.

One in seven drivers (15 per cent) have talked to friends on the phone while driving and one in six drivers (17 per cent) have had a work-related call while driving.

Young drivers, aged 17 to 24, are more likely to engage in phone calls with friends, family and employers, according to the survey.

More than a third (35 per cent) of young drivers have talked to family on the phone while driving. More than two in five young drivers (21 per cent) have talked to friends on the phone while driving and almost half (49 per cent) of young drivers have had a work-related call while driving.

The figures include both hand-held and hands-free phone calls, as studies have proved both are as dangerous, making drivers four times more likely to be in a crash that causes injury.

Following the findings, Brake is now calling for all phone use, including hands-free, to be banned at the wheel and appeals to drivers to put their phones on silent and out of reach before getting behind the wheel.

Bradford driving instructor, Chris Smith, who runs Driving Mode driving school, says he has become more aware of the extent of the problem through his involvement in driver awareness courses for those who have been caught using mobile phones while driving.

"It is massively increasing," he says.

Chris believes many don't see it as breaking the law but attending the driver awareness courses brings home the reality of their actions. "It hits them a little bit harder and it opens their eyes to the fatality rate of people using hand-held devices."

But Chris says even hands-free facilities aren't safe. "It is a distraction and driving is a multi tasking thing as it is. Any form of mobile communication in the car is a no no."

Chris says the fact that the survey found younger people were more likely to use their mobile phones behind the wheel isn't surprising because mobile communications play such an integral part of their lives.

"They just see it as part and parcel of everyday life, that they are allowed to use their phone," says Chris.

But he doesn't condone their actions and wants to see a campaign introduced making motorists aware that they are breaking the law when using mobile phones behind the wheel.

"People don't see it as breaking the law but you are breaking the law," says Chris.

He suggests the LED Matrix road signs around Bradford, often used for relaying information such as events or traffic issues, could be used to warn motorists against using mobile phones while driving.

"There needs to be a bigger national campaign like an information announcement on TV or like the Matrix signs, to use them putting it in people's minds. There needs to be a bigger campaign to stop it," says Chris.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, says: "In the modern world, drivers are confronted with many distractions that prevent them from giving the road their full attention, risking devastating crashes and loss of life. It is a sobering thought that a significant number of these life-threatening distractions come from drivers' own friends and family. That's why we're urging people to put their loved ones safety first by refusing to speak to them on the phone while they are driving. Employers, too have an important responsibility to make sure they are not putting their employees in danger."

She also urged those setting off for the Bank Holiday to take a break while driving. "Our appeal to drivers is to take regular breaks, at least every two hours, and use these for calls and to recharge. No call or message is so important that it can't wait until you're safely off the road."