English and Welsh police forces launch week of action against mobile phone use at the wheel
A week-long police operation to crack down on motorists using their phones has been welcomed by road safety campaigners
Police forces across England and Wales have begun a seven-day crackdown against drivers who use their phones.
The campaign, spearheaded by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), will see patrols use unmarked vans, vantage points and helmet cams to catch offenders.
The push started yesterday and runs until Sunday, January 28.
A similar operation last July saw more than 8,000 drivers being stopped, with police recording 2,595 offences.
This latest campaign comes almost a year after legislation was introduced that stiffened punishment against those caught offending.
Passed in March 2017, the new law states that drivers using a phone behind the wheel can receive six points on their licence and a £200 fine.
The NPCC says that early indications show the new legislation is having an effect, with around 11 per cent fewer drivers stopped in the three months after it was introduced compared with the three preceding months.
In 2016, 32 people were killed in road traffic collisions where the driver of the vehicle was using their mobile phone, according to the Department for Transport
Chief constable Anthony Bangham, roads policing lead at the NPCC, said: “Nearly a year on from legislation to toughen the sanctions for using a phone at the wheel, we are seeing some change in driver behaviour, but there are still too many people underestimating the risk they take.
“If you glance at a phone for even 2.3 seconds while driving at 30mph you miss 100ft of road. That is the equivalent to the length of a Boeing 737.”
He urged drivers to put safety first and keep their eyes on the road. “If you do use your phone at the wheel, don’t be surprised to be stopped by police and to receive a fine and points on your licence,” he said.
Joshua Harris, director of campaigns for road safety charity Brake, said: “No call or message is worth a life and Brake is calling upon all drivers to put their phones away in the glovebox, out of reach.
“This week’s crackdown on mobile phone use while driving is to be welcomed. Drivers should have the expectation that if they use a phone behind the wheel they will be caught. However, this outcome can only be truly delivered through a more concerted and long-term police enforcement effort.”
