First day of mobile phone clampdown catches 600 drivers

Over 600 motorists will have to fork out more than €36,000 in fines for using their mobile phones while driving following the first few hours of a major Garda crackdown.

The national mobile-phone blitz by gardai has already detected over 600 people committing the offence who will also incur two penalty points each on their driver's licences.

Today is the second day of the national blitz ahead of the May 1 start date of a new law that will see fines of €1,000 imposed on motorists caught using their phones while driving.

But by lunchtime yesterday, 300 motorists had already been caught despite the publicity about the campaign. By last night, more than 600 people had been fined.

The new regulations will penalise people for any use of mobile device including sending or reading a text message or an email.

CAUGHT

Using a mobile phone is the second most common road offence, after speeding.

Last year 28,000 people were caught using their phones while driving – bringing in €1.68m for the Exchequer. So far this year, 10,000 have been detected on their phone, earning a further €600,000 for the State.

"We all know how distracting mobile phones can be in any situation, except in the car it can have fatal consequences. Driving requires 100pc concentration – it's as simple as that," said assistant garda commissioner John Twomey.

Under the current legislation it's a €60 fine if caught while talking on your phone and driving, but now convicted motorists will face a fine of up to €1,000.

Between 9am and 9.20am on Rock Road in Blackrock yesterday, two motorists were detected on phones.

Gardai said that "people are still not getting the message," even though they were warned about the two-day blitz. The highest level of offenders were detected in Santry yesterday with 15 drivers getting caught on the Ballymun Road, the offenders included three HGV operators.

Asst Comm Twomey said: "This is not acceptable or conducive to road safety. The choice is yours. To avoid penalty points, a fine or worse – a road traffic collision– always put the phone away when driving."

OFFENDERS

Three offenders were spotted on Wolfe Tone Quay yesterday between 10.45am and 11.15am.

Gardai warned that it is an offence "to hold a mobile phone while driving, including supporting it iwith your neck, chin, shoulder, belly, lap etc."

Gardai said that "the aim is to make mobile phone use on the roads "socially unacceptable."