Police are cracking down on people who use their mobile phones while driving.

Norfolk police target drivers who use mobile phones

by DAN GRIMMER Monday, May 9, 2011
6:57 PM

A crackdown has been launched in Norfolk to target drivers who put their lives and those of others at risk by using mobile phones while driving.

The Think! Norfolk campaign urges drivers to “zip it behind the wheel”, as getting distracted by phones could cause a serious or fatal road crash.

For the next two weeks, police will be keeping tabs on drivers across the county, getting tough on those who flout the law and use mobile phones while driving.

People caught will be taken to court to face a £60 fixed penalty notice and three penalty points on their driving licence.

Drivers who want to avoid that can be sent undertaking a re-education programme to look at their reasons for using a mobile phone whilst driving.

But the fine can also rise to £1,000 if taken through the courts and up to £2,500 if driving a bus, coach, or heavy goods vehicle.

The radio, poster and media advertising campaign reminds drivers that “distracted drivers cause destruction”.

The campaign is being run by the Think! Norfolk Partnership, which is made up of Norfolk police, Norfolk County Council, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, Norfolk Safety Camera Partnership, East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust and the Highways Agency.

Iain Templeton, chairman of the Think! Norfolk Partnership, said: “Research proves that drivers who are being distracted by using their mobile phones risk their lives and lives of others.

“This campaign will remind drivers that using a mobile phone whilst driving is a conversation killer.”

Inspector David Ball, from Norfolk police, said: “Drivers using mobile phones whilst driving are not only breaking the law they are putting every other road user in danger as well.

“As the Think campaign underlines, any distraction can have horrifying consequences and our officers will continue to react robustly to anyone seen taking that risk.”

In February last year more than 50 motorists were caught using phones while behind the wheel in just the first week of a month long crackdown in Norfolk.

• Do you think the crackdown is a good idea? Write to Evening News Letters, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1RE or email eveningnewsletters@archant.co.uk

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37 comments

Re Valpy Word.Old people are not banned from driving,mobile phone users are while they are driving.Where are you facts and figures that all old people are DANGEROUS drivers?

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john kendall

Sunday, May 15, 2011
Seems that one person making a comment, unless being deliberately provocative, is not fully aware of the illegality of using a mobile phone whilst driving. So maybe a national radio and TV campaign along the lines of the seat belt campaign is needed to get through dense skulls . And then really severe penalties-because everyone around here seems to think it is ok to drive with a mobile phone in one hand-vans, lorries delivering caravans, posh 4x4s.people movers. Only the older drivers and lads in little motors seem to be immune. The lads are usually gripping the wheel with their seats back trying to look cool . They are of course the most dangerous demography on the road-males 17-25. The stats might show old people dying as a result of accidents, but the young lads are the major cause and victims.

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Daisy Roots

Saturday, May 14, 2011
May I suggest a big rusty nine inch nail in the middle of the steering column in place of the drivers air bag. Perhaps reversion back to drum brakes and no power steering even? I would suggest there would be whole new world order of careful, considerate law abiding driving without a trace of mobile phones to be seen. Driving a car has become too safe, sanitised and easy for the driver, the end result being conceit, laziness and thoughtlessness behind the wheel.

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frank young

Friday, May 13, 2011
Valpy word: This is not “Do-Gooder central” as you put it, these are comments from people who are prepared to abide by the law, facts are, it is illegal to drive and use a phone, if you break the law then you should be stopped, end of story. If it is so important you are contactable at all times there is equipment available to allow you to take that all important call, try purchasing some. How do you define an Old Person? Someone over 25 maybe, or is it just someone who abides by the rules and possibly make you late for that all important meeting? People are being killed by phone users, fines are certainly inadequate.

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Mr T

Friday, May 13, 2011
Now then children!

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Thoreauwasright

Thursday, May 12, 2011
I don't think removing speed camera's, which well done for the correct term unlike safety camera, would increase road deaths, I think it's something like .0005% of road users or associated with roads eg pedestrians run over are killed on them, some very low figure I worked out years ago but have forgotten, something ridiculous like that anyway, one of the smallest killers in this country but we could remove all the speed camera's and maybe as you said have 800 more people die, I could remove all those camera's, make the roads safer by design, and cut practically all deaths, how about that. Let's not dance around the issue clinging onto the speed factor being the one and all, and cut out the source of accidents altogether. Cost of human life, very little, that's why all road safety improvements are always retrospective, ie after 10 or so people are killed at the pulham crossroads, they put in a dinky doughnut roundabout, where we've already had an articulated lorry turn over and close call after close call using it daily, so even when they do improve things, if it even is an improvement, they still don't get it right. Waste of time and money. Another example that stupid advert about a kid being run over, this is a child being hit by a car travelling at 35mph, this is one being run over at 30mph and she crys, common factor which should be the issue, a child is run over, doesn't mention her back was broken and she'll never walk again etc, 'think safety', no mate, I think why are our roads so poor. More police officers on patrol, better roads.

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Jason Bunn

Thursday, May 12, 2011
Valpy , you're very much like The Beano . You can't be bothered with the statistics ? Not got the time ? How very tiresome it must all be for you , time for your afternoon nap. Hard work for you , trying to wind people up with half witted remarks.

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CUTHBERT. J TWILLIE

Thursday, May 12, 2011
Cuthbert, your routine uproar at everything typifies the sad state of our nation. You're like The Daily Mail!!! Just because I have a different opinion to you doesn't make it any less valid. I happen to think that old people on the road are more dangerous than people on the phone. I can't be bothered to google for statistics, you've got the time, you do it.

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Valpy Word

Thursday, May 12, 2011
A message to the usual speed camera moaners.Research by Professor Richard Allsop of University College London last year showed that removing speed cameras would result in an extra 800 deaths and serious injuries on UK roads each year.

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CUTHBERT. J TWILLIE

Thursday, May 12, 2011
Valpy Word? Hisher purpose on here is simply to wind people up and provoke a response . A pitiful mental state to exist in to be sure. The important question the moderators need to ask is why they publish his juvenile outpourings but block my far more sensible contributions.

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CUTHBERT. J TWILLIE

Thursday, May 12, 2011
Valpy word: This is not “Do-Gooder central” as you put it, these are comments from people who are prepared to abide by the law, facts are, it is illegal to drive and use a phone, if you break the law then you should be stopped, end of story. If it is so important you are contactable at all times there is equipment available to allow you to take that all important call, try purchasing some. How do you define an Old Person? Someone over 25 maybe, or is it just someone who abides by the rules and possibly make you late for that all important meeting? People are being killed by phone users, fines are certainly inadequate.

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Mr T

Thursday, May 12, 2011
For heavens sake. What percentage of accidents occur involving people NOT on the phone..? Old people are far more dangerous than phone users. What next....banning the radio...? Nanny state.

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Valpy Word

Thursday, May 12, 2011
Dear, oh dear Valpy Word. You may want to be contactable at all times but I certainly don't, neither would I want people knocking on my door at all times. I pay for the use of a mobile phone for my convenience, not that of others. If you sadly feel a need to be always available there's always hands-free but that is, in itself, a distraction. Driving a ton or so of hardware on a public highway at a mile a minute in unpredictable traffic demands concentration. Chatting on the phone while doing so is dangerous and possibly lethal. Get real.

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Thoreauwasright

Thursday, May 12, 2011
Dear, oh dear Valpy Word. What an awful life it must be to have to be able to be contacted at all times. Like having people hammering on your door all day long! My mobile phone is for my convenience, not that of others. Driving while using a phone is dangerous and a potential killer. Wise up.

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Thoreauwasright

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
a chapman - Dangerous? Highly skilled I'd say. Old people at the wheel are more dangerous than mobile phone users.

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Valpy Word

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Norfolk police targetting the mobile users HOORAY not before time, but the penalties are Far to soft, can I suggest £300 instant fine, 6 penalty points and then confiscate the phone together with the sim card and then CRUSH it. I followed a car recently BMW along the A1065 from the Watton junction all tha way into Brandon whilst using the phone, going through traffic lights, munford roundabout,railway crossing stopping and starting right into the town centre all with one hand, how dangerous was that. I say teach them a lesson.

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a chapman

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Perhaps they might like to start with those idiots who have "blacked" out windows. They are the main purpatrators as they think they cannot be seen. This is more so around the Yarmouth area.

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Karl Hunter

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Dear oh dear, do-gooder central here isn't it? The whole point of a mobile phone is that you are contactable at all times. If you happen to be in the car, you still need to answer it, it could be important...Show a bit of common sense!!

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Valpy Word

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Agree with all the comments about the idiots who use phones while driving and all the dangerous driving on our narrow roads. One thing that amazes me while travelling the country is, the amount of cars with illegal numbers plates, some are virtually unreadable. Now this is a blatant display of law breaking and very obvious. How is this? Police see these cars and do nothing, I have even witnessed a police car behind one. Now if the drivers flout the law so openly with number plates it makes me wonder what else they do. Could really bolster the coffers with a purge on number plates, which are an MOT inspection point, so do the cars have MOTs or insurance? More police on the roads would work better than any camera system, and be more efficient. Could nearly be self funding.

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Mr T

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Seeing people drive along using their mobiles, or reading the next delivery sheet, picking their nose, turning to look at children in the rear as they speak to them, or all of the afor mentioned at once, does my nut in, especially hgv drivers but all drivers of all vehicles should be concentrating more, you can spot the most stupid drivers easily that way. All anyone should be doing whilst driving, is driving. Especially on our roads that are very narrow, wind around arable land, very little separated traffic, hedges and tree's right on the roadside, our roads are as dangerous as you could make them if you tried. Get rid of the stupid speed camera's and get more Police cars out there to make the roads safer in it's true sense, not the charade we have now of speed camera's not making anything safer but government richer, and that's all they do. Police, pulling people up for all illegal activity, not specifying a particular crime they are cracking down on, crack down on all of it.

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Jason Bunn

Tuesday, May 10, 2011
All they need to do is drive around in a van in the morning and afternoon rush hours and they will soon see they scale of the problem. I saw a truck driver in Norwich with phone to ear. Its just amazing. The trouble is they have these laws and road regulations and no one enforces them - so Police and Coucils should ask themselves is it woth having these rules and regulations? For instance why have a no right turn from Carrow Road bridge to King Street at certain times when alot of drivers flout it as no one is going to prosecute. The council should put a traffic island to stop right turns. A competition how many road regulations have the council installed but don't enforce? Earlham Green Lane bus lane only is one to start you off.

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NchNthMan

Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Mobile phones ore only one way in which motorists are distracted albeit an increasingly common way. The important point is that a distracted motorist can kill or injure others. Anything that discourages the use of mobiles and other dangerous behaviour should therefore be encouraged

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owllady

Tuesday, May 10, 2011
I hope they do crack down on it after being hit by somebody using their phone whilst driving this morning! I suspect he didn't stop to see if I was ok as he knew he was in the wrong. He veered across the road, hit my car then drove away!

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CathyP

Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The ONLY problem with mobile phone use is that everyone knows that the Police do not enforce it, they just have well publicised "purges" for a few days every few years. So we all know that like most other issues the Police should be dealing with, they do not & thus as the risk of being prosecuted is not just small, but non existent if it's not it's allotted day this year, so why not do it?

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el84

Tuesday, May 10, 2011
I notice that drivers with passengers are virtually never using a mobile phone while driving so the vehicles to target are the ones being driven solo. It frightens me when you see people negotiating roundabouts with a phone on the go, and in town centres and near schools where 100% concentration is needed.

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JCW

Tuesday, May 10, 2011
More nonsense from PC Police guvnors.If we had any traffic police then 'crackdowns'would not be needed,but we dont have any traffic police now.In any 20 mile journey count the number of patrol cars you (dont) see!

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Jack

Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Second try at the gist of this post When did you last see anyone pulled over for overtaking so badly you feared an accident-for making on coming motorists take evasive action or cutting in to a breath takingly small gap? All the other transgressions are relatively minor, but arrogant incompetent overtaking manoeuvres on our A roads are the killers. Speed cameras will catch a few miles over the limit, but there doesn't seem to be any desire or method in place to stop some of the reckless driving-the offenders only get caught when they actually cause an accident ( and not always then). The near misses when accidents are avoided only because of the skills of other drivers go unrecorded and unpunished. Catching mobile phone users is important but probably easier than tackling bad driving ingeneral.

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Daisy Roots

Tuesday, May 10, 2011
It one of those laws that’s largely unenforceable, yes they may catch a few but it doesn’t seem to deter those that continually use mobiles whilst driving. I can look out of my window on any given day and in a ten minute period will usually see a least three motorists driving past using their mobile phone.

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John L Norton

Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Why is this news - it's their job.

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Thoreauwasright

Tuesday, May 10, 2011
And worst of all is the reckless and dangerous overtaking that goes on along the single carriage way stretches of the A roads in the region. The number of accidents avoided by careful motorists who slam on the brakes andor take avoiding action when faced with a car oncoming in their lane or cutting in with inches to spare is presumably never recorded. Double white lines, turning lane markings, junctions etc all seem to be ignored. Careless overtaking kills- the money spent on average speed cameras would be better spent on surveillance cameras used to prosecute the arrogant and incompetent who cannot execute a simple manoeuvre safely. And does anyone else think that speeds around the Southern bypass are creeping up and exceed those on some motorways? No wonder there are more accidents on the slip roads.

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Daisy Roots

Monday, May 9, 2011
Then there's illegal use of fog lights, missing or erroneous use of indicators, tailgating, speeding, faulty lights and lane discipline.

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Pink Duck

Monday, May 9, 2011
Then there's illegal use of fog lights, missing or erroneous use of indicators, tailgating, speeding, faulty lights and lane discipline.

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Pink Duck

Monday, May 9, 2011
"a crackdown on mobile phone use while driving" as far as i know this is illegal anyway, so just how are the police going to "crackdown" on this. Are they going to be looking harder or are you saying that up until now they would ignore a driver on the phone? or does this mean more police on the road for extra overtime checking out the passing motorists.

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ggj666

Monday, May 9, 2011
"Forget about speed cameras." Get rid of speed cameras and there would be 800 more deaths and serious injuries on the roads each year. http:www.independent.co.uklife-stylemotoringmotoring-newsturning-off-speed-cameras-could-increase-deaths-2142388.html

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CUTHBERT. J TWILLIE

Monday, May 9, 2011
so when are they going to crack down on people smoking in company vehicles, this is as bad as using a phone,

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atjg

Monday, May 9, 2011
Very good as this initiative is, there are a host of other silly things motorist do that are in need of sorting out. Car windows are so heavily tinted it`s a wonder some drivers can see where they are going. Music turned up so loud you can feel the vibrations three cars away. Dogs not tethered and roaming freely around the car. Kids sitting on adults laps. Etc, etc, etc. We seem to have a mentality of, "I`ll do what I want to do", nowadays without little or no respect for others. That attitude has been carried through into the way people drive their cars. Forget about speed cameras. Spend the money on more traffic officers. They would be far more effective than a yellow box and a few white strips.

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BG

Monday, May 9, 2011
i dont think crackdown is appropriate, mobile phone use, alchol and drugs should always be closely monitored all the time and not given periods of time for the safety of all.

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grasshopper

Monday, May 9, 2011