MORE than 120 drivers were caught using a mobile phone during a police crackdown in the West Midlands.
This included motorists texting, checking social media and one driver was even watching the news on a handset.
In total 123 drivers were stopped in the region as part of the national campaign between January 22-28.
Anyone caught receives a £200 fine and six penalty points on their licence as part of tougher laws introduced last Spring.
New licence holders face losing their licence straight away.
Inspector Sion Hathaway, from Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG), said: “We regularly saw people who were driving while texting and checking social media which is completely unacceptable at the wheel.
“While society has changed in terms of the growing use of technology, there is a time and place for this – and this is certainly not while driving.
“It’s disappointing to see that people continue to break the law and put the lives of not only themselves, but others, at risk.
“Being distracted while driving can have life-changing consequences and even though the campaign is over we will still be monitoring our roads to catch those who commit such an offence.
“It is a no-win; at the very least you face six penalty points and a £200 fine.
“The worst case scenario is that you kill someone.
“Not only will you have to live with this on your conscience, you will also go to prison for a significant length of time.”
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson, added: “Driving whilst on a mobile phone is never acceptable.
“Studies have found that motorists who talk on their phone, without hands-free kits, are four times more likely to crash.
“In 2003, when I was a government minister, I introduced the ban on using a handheld mobile phone whilst driving.
“This action shows how seriously West Midlands Police takes enforcing the ban on driving whilst using the phone.”
