I RECENTLY went to see a stand-up comedian who brought the house down with a joke about using a mobile phone while driving.

"It's so dangerous," he started solemnly.

"Now you don't only have to concentrate on driving and speaking at the same time, you've gotta have one eye out for the coppers as well."

It was funny because it was true.

Talking on your phone while driving has been banned for more than three years yet new research shows one in five drivers still do it.

And in Lancashire certainly you don't have to go far in your car to see someone casually chatting away, phone hunched under their shoulder.

Although it doesn't seem a particularly bad crime, the fact is it's dangerous.

And downright annoying.

If you've ever been caught driving behind someone who's veering all over the road only to overtake them and see them chatting away on their phone with one hand on the wheel you'll know what I mean.

Another classic is pulling up next to someone at a set of traffic lights and seeing them fumbling in their laps after the lights have turned green. You just know they're sending a text message. The problem is nobody takes the crime particularly seriously.

In these days of multi-tasking and doing everything at break-neck pace we're all used to doing three things at once and getting things done as quickly as possible.

And if that means organising your night out, calling the plumber, or chatting to your mum on the drive to work, then so be it.

At the moment the penalty if you get caught is £30 but they're talking about changing that to a £60 fine and three points on your licence.

This can only be a good thing. Sometimes the only way to make people realise the seriousness of their actions is to spell it out in no uncertain terms with a strict penalty.

Nowadays we're all practically surgically attached to our mobile phones. People can reach us any time day or night - and most of us feel at the mercy of these contraptions.

If the phone rings, you have to pick it up no matter where you are or who you're with.

That's a dangerous mindset to be in.

I reckon the only way of breaking the habit is to make it a late New Year's resolution - if you haven't got a hands-free kit in your car simply get into the mindset of switching your phone off at the start of the journey - and do us all a favour.