POLICE are targetting drivers using mobile phones as part of a national campaign.

Today (Monday, February 7) marks a three week campaign raising awareness of the dangers of using a mobile phone whilst driving.

Thames Valley Police and Hampshire Constabulary Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit will be supporting this campaign until  February 27.

Through research, it has been shown that using a mobile phone can impair your ability to drive more than if you were driving whilst over the drink drive limit.

Slough Observer:

Police say it is one of the four factors, alongside drink and drug driving, speeding and not wearing a seatbelt, that can increase your chances of being seriously injured or even killed if involved in a road traffic collision.

Road Safety Sergeant David Hazlett, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit said: “Driving whilst using a mobile device is dangerous and one of the four main contributory causes of fatal collisions.

“Whilst many vehicles now allow drivers to pair their phones and devices, people should not view ‘hands free’ as being a safe alternative."

Police research shows drivers are four times more likely to be involved in a collision due to distractions that mobile phones cause.

They also believe using hands free devices can also have an impact on your reaction times. 

Adding: "Is it worth answering that call or can it wait? Texting, checking emails, scrolling through music and other device functions also distracts the driver and prevents their full attention which is needed for safe driving.

“It’s important to say that the vast majority of drivers don’t break the law but work still needs to be done to change the public’s minds and make mobile phone use in vehicles as socially unacceptable as drink and drug driving.”