Cambridgeshire drivers warned about phone use at the wheel
Police are warning drivers against it.
Drivers in Cambridgeshire are being reminded of the dangers of using a mobile phone at the wheel after the local police force revealed more than a quarter of crashes involving a mobile phone in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, and Hertfordshire last year, ended in fatal or serious injuries.
Officers are urging all drivers to put their mobile phones away while driving to avoid unnecessary distractions.
Chief Inspector Stephen O'Keeffe, Head of the tri-force Roads Policing Unit, said: "You might think glancing down at your phone is ok, but not looking where you are driving is incredibly dangerous.
"At that moment you are not aware of what is happening around you. It only takes a second for circumstances to change and for you to be involved in a collision, either with another road user or a pedestrian.
"At a time when emergency services are under unprecedented strain, we must do everything in our power to look after ourselves and those around us.
"That includes not putting lives at risk by driving dangerously."
Police recommend phones are put on silent, or better yet turned off, and put in the glove compartment.
Motorists caught using a phone behind the wheel face a minimum fine of £200 and six points on their license.
That can be much higher if the case goes to court.
Offenders who are still within their first two years on the road after passing a test would be automatically disqualified from driving and will need to take their test again.