News

18 June 2010
MOBILE PHONE and SEATBELT DAY OF ACTION

Use your mobile phone while driving and you are risking your life and the lives of others. No phone call is worth risking a life for.

On Monday 21 June 2010, Police forces across Scotland are focussing their attention on motorists’ who use their mobile phone while driving. The 24 hour ‘Mobile Phone Day of Action’ co-ordinated by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) is part of the Scottish Police Service’s year-round commitment to reduce the number of casualties on our roads.

Increased patrols in every force area, both marked and unmarked, will be on the look out for motorists breaking the law. In continuation of the “Year of the Seatbelt” campaign, officers will also target all vehicle occupants who fail to wear a seatbelt or suitable restraint.

Chief Superintendent Charlie Common from Lothian and Borders Police who is the ACPOS lead on Casualty Reduction said:

“As recently as February this year officers across Scotland highlighted the danger of using a mobile phone whilst driving during a similar campaign. I was disappointed to learn that despite all of our publicity that a significant number of drivers had been detected that day using a mobile phone and indeed continue to come to police attention for this offence on a daily basis.

 There is no doubt regarding the dangers of using a mobile phone whilst driving and today’s campaign is designed as a further reminder of this.

Officers from all forces will be targeting not only mobile phone offences, but also other distraction offences that are committed by drivers who are using any form of hand held device whilst driving; officers will be utilising both marked and unmarked vehicles to enforce the legislation.”