Police are clamping down on motorists who use mobile devices and reminding them to keep their eyes on the road, not on their phone.
Drivers using a mobile phone while behind the wheel are four times more likely to be involved in a collision, according to a recent Parliamentary report.
A moment’s distraction is all it takes to crash, resulting in potentially devastating, life-long consequences for not only the driver, but their passengers, other road users and pedestrians too.
Chief Inspector Chris Treadwell said: “No message is so urgent that it is worth risking your life and the lives of others. Looking at your mobile phone means you are not looking at the road.
“Being distracted for a second or two is enough time for circumstances to change and for a collision to occur. Our advice is to put mobile devices in the glovebox as soon as you get into your vehicle. That way they are out of reach and away from temptation.”
More than 1,500 people were caught using their mobile phone across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire last year:
- 371 in Bedfordshire
- 483 in Cambridgeshire
- 717 in Hertfordshire
Of these, two thirds were under the age of 40. Anyone caught using a mobile phone while driving will be fined £200 and will receive six penalty points.
Any driver caught using a mobile phone within two years of passing their test, will have their licence revoked.
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