Police warn drivers as Hampshire crackdown on mobile phone users launches

The News yesterday joined officers from Hampshire’s roads policing unit in Fareham on the launch of a month-long national crackdown on mobile phone offences.

Around 10 per cent of fatal crashes involve the use of a mobile phone. People are twice as likely to crash if using a phone.

But that did not stop people driving on the A32 between Fareham and Gosport - one of the county’s busiest roads - from picking up their phones on the morning commute.

Reading the BBC News app, texting and checking the phone-car Bluetooth connection were among the reasons given - along with apologies - for not paying the road their undivided attention.

PC Dave Hazlett, an experienced roads officer of 23 years, said: ‘The majority of drivers do comply with the law and they do understand the dangers.

‘It’s the minority who will continue but it’s down to us to stop it through education and if needs be, through enforcement.’

He and colleague Sgt Scott Kerr were acting in tandem, with Sgt Kerr perched on a stationary marked police motorcycle keeping an eagle-eye out for anyone flouting the law - and risking six penalty points and a £200 fixed penalty notice.

With hundreds of commuters heading south to Gosport and Stubbington, it did not take long to identify the first offender.

Sitting in the left hand lane as he passes Sgt Kerr, a 46-year-old man in a Nissan Qashqai has a phone in his hand.

Sgt Kerr radios through the details to PC Hazlett, who is standing alert by his unmarked car, who then stops the man. He is cautioned as Sgt Kerr arrives to put what he saw to the driver.

Sgt Kerr tells him: ‘If you did that in your driving test you’d fail. This is how people die and get injured.’

The driver accepts the penalty but half-heartedly offers: ‘I use my Bluetooth.’

But picking up his device and checking to see if it is connected to his car is no excuse, and he is issued a ticket.

Another man, a 40-year-old in a Volkswagen, is stopped shortly after and handed another ticket and six points.

‘Sorry about that,’ he tells PC Hazlett after being handed the notice and points. He had been spotted scrolling through BBC News headlines.

Soon after this a motorcyclist using a nearby cut-through is reminded not to do so - and that unexpectedly pulling out of a junction puts himself at risk.

Another driver is stopped to check that his happy mongrel Terrier seemingly half out of an open window is secure and safe in the vehicle. The driver shows how the dog is leashed and tethered to the car, and he happily goes on his way.

Officers are focusing on illegal mobile phone use but they are keen to educate to keep people safe on the roads - and will still act on other offences in the crackdown.

‘We need to encourage people to do the right thing,’ said Sgt Kerr.

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He has reason to be optimistic that many have got the message. In 2017 the government doubled the on-the-spot penalties.

This has led to many professional drivers not putting their livelihoods - and others’ lives - at risk.

‘Most of the professional drivers have got the message and that’s really good,’ Sgt Kerr said. ‘It’s mainly private vehicles now. People think they’re in that bubble and safe.’

Sgt Kerr returns to his vantage point, radioing in to say he is once again in position at the peak of rush hour. Less than two seconds later the radio crackles again.

This time a driver in a Jeep has been spotted using his phone with both hands.

When he clocks Sgt Kerr’s keen eye on his actions the 64-year-old man clutches it to his stomach.

When pulled over he admits he was saying a quick ‘prayer’ that he had not been spotted. But he has been.

After PC Hazlett takes his details and issues him the fixed penalty notice, the driver is off again, knowing he is going to be £200 worse off.

The next driver caught is a 39-year-old man in a Skoda Fabia. He admits texting at the wheel.

‘Would you in your driving test?’ Sgt Kerr asks. The answer is a firm no.

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Both officers, based in the road safety team, are concerned that a momentary distraction could have fatal consequences.

Mobile phone use is one of the fatal four, together with speeding, drink and drug-impaired driving and not wearing a seat belt.

Driving should be the ‘primary’ task when in a car - everything else is a distraction, they say.

But recognising most people are driving safely, Sgt Kerr added: ‘We want to thank the people who don’t use a phone. It’s only the minority of people who do use it.

‘We want to let people know we’re looking after them - promoting their safety.’

He added: ‘We want to make driving a primary function - get their phone out of sight. If you put it on silent and put it where you can’t see the screen you’re not going to be distracted.’