1000 motorists caught using mobile phones while driving in Wales

More than 1,000 motorists were caught using their mobile phones while at the wheel during the 2013 All-Wales Anti-Mobile Phone While Driving Campaign last month.

The two-week campaign, involving road safety partners across the principality, aimed to raise awareness among motorists about the real dangers involved when drivers break the law through phoning or texting at the wheel.

Officers from all four Welsh police forces carried out proactive patrols to target motorists who endanger other road users through this behaviour and educated drivers on the penalties they face if caught.

During the campaign, officers detected a total of 1,095 mobile phone driving offences.

North Wales Police issued 95 fixed penalty notices while in the Gwent area a total of 47 notices were issued to law-breakers.

In the Dyfed Powys force area 862 notices were given, while in South Wales 91 offenders were caught and apprehended.

Chief Inspector Darren Wareing from North Wales Police’ Roads Policing Unit said:

“Despite the law change in February 2007 where using a mobile phone while driving can result in three penalty points and a further increase to a £100 fine back in August this year, drivers in Wales are still persisting with this dangerous activity and breaking the law.

“This campaign is just one part of our continuing effort to target and reduce the number of drivers who risk becoming involved in a serious or fatal collision due to using a mobile phone while driving.

“Along with drink driving, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and driving carelessly, using a mobile phone behind the wheel, whether it be texting, using an app, or making a phone call is classed as one of the “Fatal 5”; the five most common causes of fatal road traffic collisions.

“Even the most experienced or competent of drivers can easily be distracted. A momentary lapse in concentration can have serious consequences and it is disappointing that 95 motorists in North Wales have broken the law and put their own lives and the lives of others at risk.

He added:

“We all need to take account of how we drive on our roads and driving a vehicle requires us to multi-task so anything above and beyond that needs to wait until we are safely parked up or until our journey has finished.”