South Wales Police Joins Week-Long Enforcement Operations To Enforce New Penalties For Mobile Phone Use At The Wheel

As well as running targeted operations across the week, police are helping to raise awareness of the new penalties for this offence which come into force today. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Drivers caught using their mobiles will now be subject to a £200 fine and six points on their licence. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All 43 police forces in England and Wales are participating in the week of enforcement action against this offence, following a similar campaign in January which stopped 5,614 vehicles and detected 3,844 mobile phone offences. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Police are working with the Department of Transport and motoring charities to ensure that this stronger deterrent is accompanied by campaigns to change driver attitudes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chief Inspector Martyn Stone of South Wales Police said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Drivers who decide to use a mobile phone at the wheel are committing an offence. By using a device whilst you drive you increase the risk and probability of being involved in a serious or fatal collision. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The introduction of these new penalties illustrate the harm and serious impact driving whilst using a mobile phone can be to drivers, other roads users and pedestrians. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We will be working with our partner agencies to uphold the law and continue to keep the roads of South Wales safe.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Research from the RAC has previously shown that motorists express frustration with other drivers using mobile phones, yet almost half admit to doing it themselves. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Similarly, a quick survey by the NPCC in January showed that 53 per cent of drivers we contacted said they never use a mobile phone while driving, yet 84 per cent report frequently seeing other drivers doing so. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Operations this week include: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• targeted patrols using unmarked vans, high mobile vantage points and helmet cams to catch offenders;
• partnership with local authorities, agencies, and emergency services to deter people from taking the risks;
• community ‘spotters’ to highlight hotspots and repeat offenders to police;
• innovative digital campaigns to communicate that the risks are more serious than people think, including the RAC PhoneSafe website
• sharing material from Department for Transport and THINK! to raise awareness of the new penalties;

Previous UK campaign results: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​