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Police in driver phone op

by Mark Rowe

Police have run a fresh operation against mobile phone use by drivers. In the previous one in November some 7,800 fixed penalty notices were issued besides hundreds of verbal warnings and 68 court summons.

Police say that recent studies show use of mobile phones when driving is widespread and the risks drastically underestimated. The first planned mobile phone enforcement campaign of 2017 ran from Monday to Sunday, January 23 to 29. Operations included:

targeted patrols using unmarked vans, high vantage points and helmet cams to catch offenders;
partnership with local authorities and emergency services to deter people from taking the risks;
innovative digital campaigns to communicate that the risks are more serious than people think;
community ‘spotters’ to highlight hotspots and repeat offenders to police;
advising the public about changes to penalties for mobile phone use by driving from March 2017.

National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Lead for Roads Policing, Chief Constable Suzette Davenport said: “This week forces will be working to make driving distracted as socially unacceptable as drink driving through enforcing strong deterrents and powerful messages to make people think twice about their driving habits.

“Encouraging results from last year’s campaign against mobile phone use show how effective new tactics and innovative approaches can be. Officers will continue to use intelligence-led tactics to target police activity and resources and catch repeat offenders. Forces will be working throughout the year to tackle this behaviour by motorists with national partners and the public.

“Remember: when at the wheel, your calls or texts can wait. Keep your eyes on the road.”

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