Mobile Phone Fines On Rise For Drivers
Illawarra Mercury
Monday July 14, 2008
ILLAWARRA motorists are increasingly risking their lives behind the wheel, with the number of people caught illegally using mobile phones while driving up by 75 per cent in three years.
Infringements for not wearing seatbelts are down but, disturbingly, police report a number of cases where children travelling in cars with their parents have not been wearing seatbelts.Six people not wearing seatbelts have been killed in crashes in southern NSW this year."Not wearing a seatbelt is the equivalent of jumping out of a plane without a parachute," Southern region traffic co-ordinator Mick Timms said.Provisional police data obtained by the Mercury reveals 317 drivers have been caught not wearing seatbelts as well as 58 passengers, some children, so far this year.But more people seem to be heeding the safety message than three years ago. This is not the case when it comes to using hand-held mobile phones while driving.Police pulled over 768 people for using phones, up from 441 in 2005.Senior Sergeant Timms said there was tougher legislation for learners and P1 licence holders - which makes it illegal to use a phone at all."Basically, operating any function of the phone including games or built-in GPS system is an offence," he said.The penalty for not wearing a seatbelt starts at $243 and three demerit points. The same minimum fine applies for driving while using a hand-held mobile phone.Meantime, NSW police have launched an advertising campaign warning pedestrians to limit distractions when crossing the road and to watch for cars when wearing headphones.Recent growth in the use of portable media players and mobile phone usage had sparked the need for greater awareness amongst both pedestrians and motorists, police said.Graphic: INFRINGEMENTS RECORDED BY POLICE IN FIRST HALF OF YEAR*EDITORIAL ACT OF STUPIDITY - p14SPEAK UP letters@illawarramercury.com.au
© 2008 Illawarra Mercury
