Scarborough driver has car seized during crackdown on mobile phone use ahead of strict new law

On Tuesday March 22, North Yorkshire Police issued 20 traffic offence reports (TORs) during a road safety operation targeting distracted driving, which included mobile phone use.

The operation comes ahead of new laws banning mobile phone use. These laws come into place on Friday March 25.

Between 11.30am and 2.30am on Tuesday March 22, officers from the Roads Policing Group, Neighbourhood Policing Team and Response stopped the drivers for a range of offences.

Traffic Offence Reports were issued for using a mobile phone whilst driving, and not being in proper control of a vehicle and a further eight warnings were given for other motoring offences.

One vehicle was seized for having no insurance.

Traffic Constable Jamie Lord, from the Road Safety Team, said: “This successful targeted activity was run under Operation Boundary, North Yorkshire Police’s dedicated road safety and enforcement operation.

“As a strategic priority for the force, we’re working hard to make our roads safer and reduce the number of casualties.

“Our education and enforcement approach revolves around the ‘Fatal 5’ traffic offences – careless driving, drink and drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt, excessive speeding, and distracted driving which includes mobile phone use.”

Stricter mobile phone laws will come into place on Friday March 25.

The new laws will take into account the evolving technology of smart phones since the original ‘hand-held’ offence was introduced in 2003.

The meaning of ‘using’ a phone whilst driving will be expanded to cover things such as checking the time, unlocking the device, checking notifications, making, receiving, or rejecting a telephone or internet-based call, drafting any text, and accessing any stored data such as documents, books, audio files, photos, videos, films, playlists, notes or messages.

The only exemptions will be the existing one of making an emergency call, plus making contactless payment using a phone at a payment terminal for goods or services. The vehicle must be stationary, and the item being paid for must be provided at the same time or after the contactless payment is made.

Such phone-based transactions include paying for a car park or at a drive-through food and drink retailers.

TC Lord added: “It was this last aspect that was a particular focus for us on this latest operation, not least with the new and much stricter legislation coming into effect this Friday regarding the use of mobile phones whilst driving.

“We’ll be on the look-out for motorists across North Yorkshire and York who wilfully ignore the law and put themselves and others at great risk on our roads.”

For more information, go to the Parliament website.