'People who text while driving are idiots'

The Keatings were killed on their way home. Photo / Supplied

The brother of a man killed in a crash caused by a teenage driver who was texting says many people are still ignorant of the danger - and impact.

Russell Keating's brother and sister-in-law were killed in Ashburton in January 2008 when Robert Stonestreet, then 19, slammed into their car after being distracted while texting. Stonestreet was later sentenced to nine months' home detention, 200 hours' community work and lost his licence for two and a half years.

Samuel and Beverley Keating were driving home after celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary.

"The people who text while driving are just idiots," said Mr Keating. "If something happened to themselves or family they might change their mind."

Mr Keating said the hand-held ban had been a start. "People just do not realise the impact that it has. You never fully get over something like that."

Road policing manager Heather Wells said in the last year two people had died in Counties Manukau in car accidents where phone use was the major factor.

"One was a guy who was texting and later on we found the mother admitted that she had been texting him while he was driving."