Thirty five other countries have mobile phone laws of one type or another so why not the UK?

Rospa

Officers may wrongly target drivers who may just be singing along with the radio, a transport department spokesman said.

Mobiles have been linked to 17 road deaths in the UK.

But safety campaigners say that could be the tip of the iceberg as no official figures have ever been compiled.

A recent study found using a mobile phone behind the wheel was nearly as dangerous as drink driving.

'Difficult to tell'

Road safety minister David Jameison has this week promised to plough �250,000 into a publicity campaign warning drivers of the dangers.

A Transport Department spokesman said it had not ruled out legislation "at some stage".

But any law would have to include hands-free kits which have been shown to be almost as distracting as conventional hand-held phones.

"It is difficult to tell when someone is using a hands-free mobile," a spokesman told BBC News Online.

"They could be singing along with the radio - and we are not thinking of banning that."

Although phone records could be used in court to show a phone was operating, drivers could claim it was switched on but not in use.

Tests by scientists at the Transport Research Laboratory said drivers on mobiles had slower reaction times than those under the influence of alcohol.

'No clear line'

Under current laws, drivers who are caught using hand-held mobiles can be prosecuted under dangerous driving laws.

Anyone found to be using a hands-free phone could be charged with driving without due care and attention.

But safety campaigners want the government to go a step further and make using a mobile phone behind the wheel a specific criminal offence.

"That would be the only way you will get the message across about how dangerous it is," a spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) told BBC News Online.

"At the moment, there is no clear line. People think it's OK."

Publicity campaign

He added: "Thirty five other countries have mobile phone laws of one type or another, so why not the UK."

"The British government has always said it would go down the education route, but if that failed to work they would consider specific legislation.

"If it is now saying it wants a publicity campaign - but if that doesn't work what will they do?"

He said Rospa would continue to campaign for legislation.