Police Scotland has expressed disappointment at the number of drivers continuing to use mobile phones and other devices at the wheel, after heavier penalties were brought in last week.
Figures released by the service show that over the two-week campaign to highlight the new penalties, 210 people were either given a ticket or reported to the Procurator Fiscal for the offence.
Over the first five days of the new penalties being imposed, a total of 42 people were charged or reported.
Deputy Head of Road Policing, Superintendent Fraser Candlish, said: “While it is clear that proportionately more people were caught in the ten days prior to the new penalties being introduced, this coincided with a period when there was a great deal of advertising and publicity highlighting the change.
“It is extremely disappointing that in the first five days of the new penalties being implemented, more than 40 drivers were still prepared to put the lives of both themselves and other road users at risk by using such devices while they were driving.
“There can be no excuse, as there was widespread public knowledge of the change. Road Policing Officers will continue to look out for anyone breaking the law, and my advice is to simply either switch off your phone entirely while driving, or only make or answer a call if you are parked. Remember, using such a device if you are stopped at lights, or stuck in traffic congestion, is still breaking the law and if you are seen doing it by Police Officers, you will be charged, so don’t risk it.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
