| Police vowed to get tough with drivers spotted using their phones at the wheel and in the first 10 months of the crackdown in Tayside a total of 785 motorists — over two a day — were caught.
In Fife, the figure was considerably lower for the same period but 202 drivers were still brought to book.
Car drivers spotted flouting the law are faced with a conditional offer of a £30 penalty for using a mobile while driving, but that can increase to a maximum of £1000 if the case is deemed serious enough to be dealt with by the courts.
However, some drivers do not seem deterred by the sanctions and new RAC research shows four in 10 drivers now admit to using their phone whilst driving compared to just one in ten at the same time last year.
Chief Inspector Sandy Bowman, head of the Road Policing Unit in Tayside, said he believed some drivers had decided they would ignore the law and use their mobiles regardless.
He said safety on the road could be seriously compromised for something as trivial as a chat.
Mr Bowman said, “I am aware there are people continuing to disregard the legislation in respect of using mobile phones whilst driving.
“Obviously this has road safety implications both for themselves and all other road users.
“At this time we are trying to educate people about driving on roads that are more slippy and hazardous than usual and if they are using a mobile phone that could seriously affect their handling of an emergency situation.” |
