Fierce Fines Fail To Stop Drivers Using Mobiles

Fiercer fines are failing to stop motorists using hand-held mobile phones while driving.

The number of offenders is now higher than the year just before harsher penalties were introduced

There were at least 171,000 fixed penalty notices (FPN) for mobile phone offences in 2010/11, according to Freedom of Information requests made to England and Wales police forces by insurance company swiftcover.com.

With two of the 43 forces yet to respond, the 2010/11 figure was higher than the 166,800 total in 2006 - the year before the fine was doubled, with the threat of points going on to licences of offending drivers.

The latest total was also more than double the figure of 74,000 in 2004.

Swiftcover reported that Thames Valley Police had had an FPN increase of 21% in 2010/11 compared with 2009/10. Other increases included Hampshire and the Yorkshire forces.

The results also showed that 56 drivers were fined for using mobiles while supervising learners in 2010/11 in London alone.

Swiftcover said its research also showed that 5% of drivers admitted using social networking sites while driving within the past year, with this figure rising to 12% for 18-34 year olds.

Robin Reames, chief claims officer at swiftcover.com, said: "It's clear that current measures to stop motorists using their phones while driving simply aren't working."