A CRACKDOWN on distracted drivers using mobile phones has been launched by police in both Warwickshire and Worcestershire.
An initiative by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, it caught 695 motorists across the two counties using their mobile phone at the wheel.
The penalty for using a mobile while driving has steadily increased over the years and now stands at a £100 fine and three penalty points on the offender’s licence.
However these penalties will be doubling to six points and a £200 fine; ensuring drivers face much tougher penalties. These changes are expected to take effect in March 2017.
Police say Using a mobile while driving is a potentially fatal distraction and has been an illegal offence since December 2003.
Studies show that drivers using a mobile are slower at recognising and reacting to hazards. Even careful drivers can be distracted by a call or a text – and a split-second lapse in concentration could result in a collision.
A 2016 report on motoring by the RAC suggests the number of motorists who illegally use mobile phones at the wheel is rising. 1,714 motorists were surveyed and 31 per cent of motorists said they used a handheld phone behind the wheel compared with eight per cent in 2014. The number of drivers who said they had sent a message or posted on social media rose from seven per cent to 19 per cent, while 14 per cent said they had taken a photograph or video while driving.
Superintendent Daryn Elton for Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police said: “Improving the safety of our roads is a year-round commitment for our officers. Mobile phone enforcement is already part of our daily operational activity, and we are fully supportive of national campaigns like this one which aim to highlight the ongoing work by police forces to crack down on motorists who are blatantly ignoring both the law and the dangers involved.
“Many motorists are already aware that using a mobile phone while driving is illegal. This includes using your phone to follow a map, read a text or check social media, and applies even if you’re stopped at traffic lights or queuing in traffic. With smartphones becoming more and more embedded into our daily routines, we are all aware of how useful they can be. However, it is unacceptable to allow yourself to be distracted by them while driving, and officers will ensure any motorists doing so face the penalties involved.
“We are urging people to think about the consequences of their actions and ask themselves how they would feel if they caused a collision and injured, or killed, somebody else simply for the sake of making a call, reading a text message or checking social media.
“Think. Put your phone away and avoid deadly distractions at the wheel.”
