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Drivers ignore phone ban
Date: 27 March 2007
In just one month almost 7000 drivers have been caught in Scotland and England flouting new, tougher laws set to combat handheld phone use.
Since 27 February the fine for being caught using a handheld mobile on the move doubled to £60 becoming an endorsable offence in the process, with drivers receiving three penalty points for their first offence.
Courts have also been given powers to increase maximum penalties for drivers of buses and HGVs to £1000 and £2500 respectively.
The figures for the UK are expected to rise even more dramatically if the Northern Irish, Welsh and London's Met Police choose to release their phone-use conviction statistics.
Road safety group Brake is lobbying for even tougher restrictions, claiming the current penalties are not harsh enough. Brake wants the Government to raise the penalty to six points and a £1000 fine, a true reflection they say of the potential danger posed by using a handheld mobile on the move.
