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7:00pm Friday 9th March 2007

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DRIVERS are still ignoring tough new penalties and putting lives at risk by using mobile phones at the wheel.

New measures were brought in to crack down hard on drivers who use their handsets, including a £60 fine and three penalty points.

But despite these deterrents and extensive publicity of the issue, motorists seem unable to resist the temptation to pick up when they're behind the wheel.

The Daily Echo carried out a random assessment at the busy Cemetery Junction between 11.30am and 12.30pm yesterday.

In the hour we spent at the intersection, we caught nine motorists either taking or making calls, or texting on their phones.

Worryingly, phones don't seem to be the only distraction, with people spotted putting on make-up and even taking pictures with a digital camera while driving.

Many of the phone users we spotted seemed to think it was fine to use their handset while waiting at traffic lights.

But the law clearly states the driver must have car must be stationary with the engine off before picking up.

Dorset Police have revealed how they had issued 55 fixed penalty tickets in the first week of the new laws.

They say they will continue to enforce the new legislation rigorously.

"If you chose to use a mobile while driving you will be caught and have to face the consequences," said a police spokesperson.

"Drivers who continue to use their mobile phones while driving are a danger to themselves and other road users, and will face the tougher penalties the law now allows."

The new legislation also extends to drivers who fail to have proper control of a vehicle while using a hands-free mobile phone.

It also applies to driving instructors, who are not permitted to use a mobile while carrying out lessons.

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Your Say YourThisisdorset

Tony, says...
11:28pm Fri 9 Mar 07

In answer to the Echo clip,may be the police officers cant be bothered,I am waiting my chance to catch a police officer making a call in a vehicle on his radio or mike while driving, that will cause a stirrrrr.(Hope I have my camera with me).

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Rolo, Bournemouth says...
9:43am Sat 10 Mar 07

Your article indicates that the Dorset Police have issued 55 fixed penalty tickets in the first week of the new laws. Are they trying? My experience, driving on the roads every day, is that they could easily issue 55 tickets in a day without trying very hard! Maybe they should leave the mobile speed cameras alone and concentrate on enforcing the new legislation rigorously .

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Jerry, Poole says...
10:06am Sat 10 Mar 07

am waiting my chance to catch a police officer making a call in a vehicle on his radio or mike while driving
In answer to Tony, microphone handsets are NOT included in the new laws. It is specifically mobile phone handsets that are held to the head to talk and listen at the same time. Consequently, CB radio's are not covered by the new law, unless the Police can demonstrate that the driver fails to have proper control of a vehicle.

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Mark, Pokesdown says...
10:31am Sat 10 Mar 07

OMG this police radio argument is soooo stupid. Since when does a conversation like "robbery in progress all units assist..." equate to "hi darling I'm in tesco what do you fancy for dinner tonight" ?!

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Jerry, Poole says...
10:55am Sat 10 Mar 07

And Paramedics: "Cardiac Arrest, ETA 3 minutes", Fire Service: "Major incident, backup required". The microphone is held only when talking. The reply comes through a speaker, requiring less attention than a phone held to the ear. The bit about having "proper control" still applies regardless.

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Terry Pardy, Broadstone says...
11:08am Sat 10 Mar 07

Notice anything in common about these idiots on the front page? Not one of them is wearing a seat belt so they are commiting at least two offences! Obviously don't care about their own lives nor anybody elses!

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Glenn, Parkstone BNP says...
12:56pm Sat 10 Mar 07

Have troubles with getting the lens cap off again guys? Really, only nine in an hour...I see more than that in just a few minutes when I venture across my street to the chippy!

As for Dorset Police...I see a common feeling almost wherever they are mentioned. First clean yourselves up, then do your job properly.

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Tony, says...
5:11pm Sat 10 Mar 07

I would like to see the small print over this issue.
The bit about having "proper control" still applies regardless.

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Tony, says...
5:58pm Sat 10 Mar 07

To Mark and Jerry the system that is used in Europe and the UK is the Motorola Tetra digital system,they have a ear piece and mike,the great but is if they choose to make an alternative call through there trunking system while driving is not on,goes for all.

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Jackie, says...
6:22pm Sat 10 Mar 07

I drove to work one day this week, driving not stopped saw the driver bhind me applying her lipstick, checking it in the rear view mirror and then using eyelash curlers, I was amazed...expecting her to bump into me at any minute. Are these people crazy or just plain stupid? This and using mobiles and eating and drinking while driving puts all of us at risk!

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KEN SIMPSON, says...
7:50pm Sat 10 Mar 07

Let's stop pointing the fingers at the police. No I am not one. Idiots who use their mobiles whilst driving will, unfortunately keep doing so until the penalty is greater. £60 and 3 points is not a great deterrent. Make it £1000 and a 3month ban then we'll start getting results.
quote

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rich, says...
11:04pm Sat 10 Mar 07

im with Ken on this one, hit them where it hurts, remove their rights to drive a motor vehicle. Im curious as well as i saw a cyclist using a mobile whilst on his pushbike, whats the rule there ?

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Phil, Bournemouth says...
1:21am Sun 11 Mar 07

A cycle is not a 'motor vehicle', so there is no offence committed. I wonder how many drivers realise their phone can be seized as well?

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Tony, says...
3:52pm Sun 11 Mar 07

I would like to see the small print over this issue.
The bit about having "proper control" still applies regardless,and this points to all, means all,and about the mobile,lets see the rules relating to all that use Tele+communication equipment while driving,this includes a mobile and so on.

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Nick, Poole says...
5:21pm Sun 11 Mar 07

Tony wrote:
I would like to see the small print over this issue. The bit about having "proper control" still applies regardless,and this points to all, means all,and about the mobile,lets see the rules relating to all that use Tele+communication equipment while driving,this includes a mobile and so on.
The small print is available under...
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/en2006/06en49-a.htm..

I have seen a more easy to understand version on Dorset and Sussex Police web sites though.
You can also look at the Highway code rule 127 and 128.
Hope this helps.

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The Moordown Vigilante, Bournemouth says...
5:29pm Sun 11 Mar 07

A £60 fine and 3 points is absolutely no deterrant as the majority of offenders seem to be drivers of 4 x 4s or big white trade vans and can probably afford such a small fine. Just give me a camera and I'll happily sit on the corner of my road and snap them all going past.

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sonia, poole says...
9:05pm Sun 11 Mar 07

I was driving behind a chap who was on a mobile phone today,at first I thought he was drunk as his car was going from side to side but he was just changing hands i think!! He couldn't care less. I didn't do anything just stayed well back.

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heather, poole says...
6:41am Mon 12 Mar 07

Besides using mobiles is nobody going to stop smoking whilst driving. What with getting the cigarette from the packet, lighting it and then having the danger of hot ash etc dropping into car I am amazed it is not illegal.

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ray cripps, Poole says...
1:22pm Mon 12 Mar 07

Now that the Echo have taken on the task of the Police can we look forward to their reporters targetting burlary and anti social behaviour?

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Gary, Ferndown says...
3:15pm Mon 12 Mar 07

Of the nine vehicles/drivers caught/photographed how many had accidents? None, so they are being persecuted for what they could do rather than what they have done. The law says if you use a phone you will have an accident. Why don't we leave our cars at home then that way no one will have an accident. If an accident is caused by a direct result of using a phone then prosecute the driver for this. As a referee we cannot stop the game, award free kicks, issue yellow or red cards for something the player might do we do so on the basis of what he has done. This whole phone thing is just the same as camera's just to earn money from the motorist, nothing more

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Nick, Poole says...
9:18pm Mon 12 Mar 07

No, the law does not say that you will have an accident if you use your Mobile while driving. (Please show us where you got this information from if I’m wrong).

From :-
http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/campaigns/mobilephones/dlmpr2002.htm
“Research found that drivers' reaction times were significantly slower when using a mobile phone. As reaction times slow, the risk of collision and the severity of that collision will increase. This supports a previous study that showed that drivers who are engaged in a mobile phone conversation are four times as likely to crash than other drivers.”

So.
They get punished for what they are doing, breaking the rules. So in your terminology they have been caught committing a foul. So they get a yellow card of 3 points and £60.
If they had caused an accident because of it they would have committed two fouls in the match. So an automatic red card or ban.

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