“LET’S act now before it’s too late” – that’s the call from a Bournemouth MP who wants tougher penalties for motorists who use their hand-held mobiles while driving.

Tobias Ellwood, who represents Bournemouth East, said that with the development of officially approved hands-free headsets, there was now no excuse for anyone caught on their mobiles while driving.

Mr Ellwood said: “It’s a minority that do it but they are a significant minority and you only need one person using their phone to cause an accident.

“There is no excuse and it should receive the same level of attention as drink-driving because you are potentially going to cause an accident.

“It’s a classic example of the law not keeping up with technology. At the moment, the punishment for using them does not match the severity of the incident that the distraction of using a phone can cause.

“Unless we act now it will be a serious accident which then prompts the law to change. We should be wise to that, we shouldn’t have to wait for a massive accident.”

Lib Dem MP Annette Brooke has called for a big awareness campaign to be launched to force a change in people’s attitudes towards driving while using a mobile phone.

She said: “There are some very sad stories where people have died while perhaps texting while driving along. These tragedies often affect more than just the individuals.

“I think the law needs to be very, very tough. The police have to be very persistent in enforcing the law so people know there is a risk they will get caught. Drivers also need to be aware they will face a hefty penalty.

“People need to be made aware just how dangerous this is.”

Mrs Brooke, MP for mid Dorset and North Poole, added: “I just cannot believe that people could be looking at email or the internet while driving.

“We are so used to getting instant news from family and friends, that people cannot wait to stop the car and pull in.”

Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns says it will take time for the message to get across that driving while using a mobile phone is socially unacceptable.

And he said awareness initiatives should be set up by police forces to allow law-abiding drivers to take part in Driver Awareness Courses in return for cheaper insurance premiums.

As it stands only convicted motorists are invited to attend the courses, which educate drivers about the dangers of using phones while driving as well as other road dangers.