DRIVERS are four times more like to crash while using a mobile phone at the wheel, a road safety education group has warned.

TTC Group, which runs specialist courses on behalf of police to educate mobile phone offenders, urged drivers to switch off before they drive off as tougher penalties come into force later this year.

They want to make mobile phone use as "anti social" as drink driving.

Sat navs, in vehicle entertainment systems and hands free phones are also dangers which distract drivers, warned Alan Prosser, TTC director, who has worked in road safety for 38 years.

Police and road safety campaigners hope to raise awareness about the dangers in the run up to the introduction of a new law on March 1 doubling the penalties to six points and £200 fine for using a mobile while driving.

Newly qualified young drivers face losing their licence and having to retake the driving test if they collect six points within their first two years of driving.

What's Driving Us? is a course delivered by the TTC Group for police since 2012 and educates around 330,000 road users each year.

It encourages drivers caught using mobile phones and other motorists who commit similar traffic offences to reflect on the risks of their driving behaviour and ultimately change for the better.

Mr Prosser said: "The half day theory based workshop aims to produce safer and more responsible attitudes towards driving and to increase motivation to drive with consideration for other road users."

Drivers who use a mobile to make a call, text, or stream movies are slow to react, take longer to brake and are much less aware of what's happening on the road, he said.

"We are not good at multi tasking while driving.

"People don't see road signs, they tailgate the car in front, their lane position is out and they don't keep to a steady speed.

"They must realise the dangers and put their mobiles out of reach while driving. That means turn them off to completely negate any chance of reaching for the phone."

Employers who don't ban staff from making or receiving calls while driving may also face serious penalties under tough health and safety laws, added Mr Prosser.

For more information on road safety visit ttc-uk.com