Police share this latest news. Ed
More than 200 motorists were caught using their mobile phone behind the wheel during a week-long crackdown by officers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (no breakdown available).
A total of 204 drivers were stopped by Roads Policing Officers from the Joint Operations Unit last week as part of a nationwide initiative to make our roads safer.
The week of action also saw another 17 drivers stopped for being distracted while driving.
Of those stopped 166 were men, 180 were issued with fixed penalty notices, 132 were driving cars and 61 were driving vans.
Most of the stops, 130, happened on urban roads, with 55 stops happening on motorways.
One delivery van driver from Wales was stopped in Rownhams on Wednesday, January 25, for using his mobile phone while driving.
He told officers that this was the third time in three weeks he had been stopped for the same offence. He was given a fixed penalty notice.
Another van driver was stopped and given a fixed penalty notice between junctions 7 and 5 on the M27 for using his phone.
He said he was checking his account to see if his final payment had gone through for a court fine issued because he was caught previously using his phone while driving.
Road Safety Sergeant Rob Heard said:
“It is disappointing that still so many people are still taking that risk to use their phones whilst driving.
“Many lives are being put at risk by the selfish actions of these people and it is not acceptable
“Please turn your phone off and put it out of reach so you won’t be tempted.
“That moment of inattention really is the difference between life and death – it is not worth the risk.”
