Northumbria Police is ramping up enforcement across the North-East to target those who choose to flout the law and continue to use their mobiles whilst behind the wheel.
The activity comes as part of a national two-week campaign directed by the National Police Chiefs Council that will see forces crack down on those who break the law and put other road users at risk.
Running for two weeks, the campaign began on Monday, February 8 with marked and unmarked police cars stationed across the region to catch drivers using their phones while driving. The road safety unit's camera enforcement vans have also been placed at locations across the North-East to target those travelling at excessive speed on our roads. The vans are not only able to detect speed, but can also capture drivers using their phones, not wearing a seatbelt or who appear to be distracted whilst driving.
Sergeant Jane Munro, of the road safety department at Northumbria Police, has warned drivers that if they are caught on their phone whilst driving they could be prosecuted.
She said: "Road users should always pull over in a safe place to answer a call, it doesn't matter how important the call may be, it is better to arrive a few minutes later to your destination than never.
"If you are driving whilst on your mobile phone, or distracted by something else in the car, you are more likely to miss potential hazards even if you are staring head on at them.
"Although hands free calls are legal, we are asking you to consider if it is really necessary to engage in conversation over hands free as it still could cause a lapse in concentration.
"This campaign aims to highlight the work we do 365 days a year and educate the public on the dangers of using their phones whilst driving.
"Please put your phone away whilst driving, out of sight out of mind. Don't succumb to the ping of a text. It may just save your life."
The force has now released an image of a victim's car following a collision that resulted in a driver being convicted of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and banned from the roads. As part of the police investigation, officers found evidence to suggest the driver had been using his phone before the collision on the A69 in Northumberland.
There were 1,700 deaths on UK roads last year.
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