200 drivers a month caught breaking mobile phone law

ALMOST 200 motorists a month are still flouting the law by using their mobile phones while driving – despite tough new penalties.

Figures out today show around 50 people a week in the Lothians have been caught using their phone behind the wheel since the £60 on-the-spot fines and automatic three penalty points came into force a year ago.

The figures were released as the force today launched a one-day crackdown involving hundreds of officers in both high-visibility patrols and undercover vehicles.

Police chiefs said the national day of action was intended to send out the message that using phones while driving will not be tolerated.

Since the new laws were introduced last March, a total of 2347 motorists have been caught in the Lothian and Borders region.

With around seven a day being punished, the number of offenders has dropped under the fresh legislation.

Previously, an average of 11 drivers a day were caught when the fine was £30 and no licence endorsement was included.

Sergeant Darren Faulds, from the force's road policing unit, said: "We won't be targeting specific locations as this offence is seen everywhere people drive. Officers will be looking for offenders across the force area and we're putting the resources behind that.

"The penalty now fits the crime so drivers could face losing their licence. But our main aim is to prevent accidents and save lives as using a phone leaves your vehicle out of control.

"The message is getting across but we still see people flouting the law. Sometimes the same person is caught twice in a few months."

The clampdown got underway at 7am this morning and will run until 7am tomorrow. A total of 125 officers from road policing will be involved, as well as hundreds of other officers.

Inspector Grant Allan, from the road policing unit, said: "While the vast majority of motorists obey the law, there are still those who consider using their hand-held mobile to be at the 'lower end of the scale' in terms of offending.

"They should be in no doubt that using their phone while driving affects their concentration, and the consequences of that could be deadly. The purpose of this day of action is to send a message to those people that their behaviour will not be tolerated.

"Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving should not be regarded as a 'lesser' offence. In actual fact it is a core road policing offence, and as such we will do everything we can to educate drivers and enforce the law."

Neil Greig, head of policy in Scotland for the Institute of Advanced Motorists Motoring Trust, said: "The surveys I've seen have indicated a downward trend, but the problem has not gone away. The reason that a hard core continue to use phones is that they are not being caught.

"We congratulate the police for keeping up the pressure as the fear of getting caught will be the only deterrent for some."

The tougher penalties also apply to drivers using hands-free sets if they are judged not to be in proper control of the vehicle.

And those who insist on going to court could see the maximum fine rise to £1000 for car drivers or £2500 for those in charge of vans, lorries, buses or coaches.

In 2005, 13 deaths and 400 injuries in the UK were blamed on drivers using hand-held mobiles.


Text addicts admit flouting rules at the wheel
MORE than a third of motorists in Edinburgh admitted texting on a mobile phone whilst driving, according to a new survey.

Social networking website Facebook quizzed 2000 UK users – a quarter of them in Scotland – about texting and driving on behalf of the RAC Foundation.

The figures show 36 per cent of people in the Capital admitted to texting and driving, although this was well behind London (53 per cent) and Manchester (50 per cent).

However, a responsible 16 per cent of Edinburgh motorists – more often than not women – switch off their phones or put them on mute while behind the wheel.

Elizabeth Dainton, research development manager for the RAC Foundation, said: "The survey clearly demonstrates that a large proportion of UK drivers are breaking the law by texting and driving.

"Many young people may not be aware that it is illegal to text and drive and how it places them and other road users in potential danger."