ONE in five young drivers have made a video call at the wheel, according to research by the RAC.

Motorists aged 17 to 24 are the most likely to have made a video call on the road - at 18 per cent - but figures from the RAC’s 2020 Report on Motoring reveal that eight per cent of all drivers admit to having done so.

The RAC’s Simon Williams said that the rising popularity of video calling in apps such as FaceTime, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger presented a “clear and present danger” to road safety.

“Our figures highlight what drivers already know - that the problem of illegal phone use at the wheel has far from disappeared,” he said.

“The rise in the popularity of video calls means this type of communication represents a new, clear and present danger on the UK’s roads in 2020.”

Joshua Harris, director of campaigns for Brake called for tougher rules to stop phone use while driving.

“We need clarity in the law around phone use behind the wheel, and we need it now,” he said.

“The government must implement a full ban on phone use when driving and crack down on this reckless behaviour.”