Intranetics Motoring News Service

Gatsos to trap mobile phone motorists

27th February 2007 | BACK     PRINT

Mobile speed cameras will soon be used to catch motorists illegally using their mobile phones while at the wheel, it has emerged.

Although the primary function of the devices will continue to be that of detecting speeding drivers, police forces have said that if they happen to spot a mobile-using motorist in the course of their work, prosecutions will occur, reports the Evening Standard.

Meredydd Hughes, the head of roads policing for the Association of Chief Constables and the chief constable of South Yorkshire, told the publication: "If officers using mobile cameras see someone using a hand-held phone, whether with their own eyes or through the lens of their camera, then they are fair game.

"Automated speed cameras will remain specifically to catch speeding drivers and there is no policy currently to trawl photographic evidence from speed camera images to target mobile phone users.

"However, that is not to say that we can't change the policy."

The comments come at a time of significant change to the penalties regarding mobile phone use by drivers.

From tomorrow, motorists caught using a mobile phone while driving will receive a £60 fine, double the previous penalty, and the addition of three points on their licence.

The government hopes that the tougher penalties will dissuade motorists from using their phones at the wheel and encourage more use of hands free devices.

However, the ruling has also made sure that motorists deemed to be unduly distracted by hands free devices can also be prosecuted.

Figures from Direct Line suggest that one in eight drivers ignore the laws regarding phone use.

It is thought that a number of the UK's police forces will be utilising speed cameras in conjunction with laws that allow them to penalise drivers using mobiles without having to stop them.

Officers are only required to note down the registration number of the offending motorists for that person to be prosecuted.

The first a motorist may know that his offence has been captured is a fine of £60 through the post and notice that three points have been put on the licence.

Edmund King from the RAC foundation believes the harsher penalties will be a good deterrent.

"Three points in the post might follow an opportunistic call," he told the Scotsman.

"That should be a warning to motorists that this is a law that will be enforced and they will not get away with it."

Official figures indicate that in 2005, 13 people were killed and 400 injured in car accidents in which a driver was using a mobile, according to the Scotsman.

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