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UK police crackdown on drivers using mobile phones in bid to cut crash casualties

UK drivers using mobile phones will face a police crackdown, after it emerged that 575,000 were prosecuted for using a handset whilst driving or being distracted in some other way at the wheel. In 2012, 548 casualties occurred as a result of drivers talking on the phone, with 17 fatalities. Nearly a quarter of fatalities were due to drivers being distracted. The Association of Chief Police Officers' head of roads policing Suzette Davenport said that some motorists are placing themselves and others in dang
November 22, 2013 Read time: 1 min
UK drivers using mobile phones will face a police crackdown, after it emerged that 575,000 were prosecuted for using a handset whilst driving or being distracted in some other way at the wheel.  In 2012, 548 casualties occurred as a result of drivers talking on the phone, with 17 fatalities. Nearly a quarter of fatalities were due to drivers being distracted.

The 1588 Association of Chief Police Officers' head of roads policing Suzette Davenport said that some motorists are placing themselves and others in danger by letting themselves become distracted. The government is being urged to extend legislation to outlaw hands-free sets, with a €119.51 (£100) fine currently imposed for talking on a hand-held phone.

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