Drivers caught out using mobile phones in clampdown

Drivers have again been warned not to use their mobile phones while driving after almost 30 were caught out in a week-long campaign.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Feb 2018, 13:26 BST
Updated 6th Feb 2018, 17:23 BST
Officers caught 28 drivers using their mobile phones in a week-long clampdown.Officers caught 28 drivers using their mobile phones in a week-long clampdown.
Officers caught 28 drivers using their mobile phones in a week-long clampdown.

Police across Cleveland and Durham took part in the national clampdown in the week beginning Monday, January 22.

They caught 28 drivers during the week, 10 months after the introduction of new legislation which means those using a phone while at the wheel now receive six points on their licences and a £200 fine.

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Since the introduction of the new laws on March 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017, officers across Cleveland and Durham issued 454 tickets, compared to 698 tickets during the same period in 2016.

Inspector Ed Turner, from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “It is always disappointing to find that anyone has risked their life and the lives of other innocent road users by driving while using a mobile phone.

"Whether drivers are making calls, texting or going online, the risk is all the same, and the chance of a collision is 25 times higher.

"We will continue these operations to identify those who think it is acceptable to risk their lives, despite the increased penalties brought in last year, and we will educate wherever we can.

"Being distracted at the wheel is one of the four main contributory factors in fatal or serious road traffic collisions and it is an unnecessary risk to take.”

Related topics:DriversPoliceDurham