MOBILE phone use among Northern drivers has increased by almost 40 per cent, as police warn that it’s just as dangerous as drink-driving.
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The 2013-14 annual police statistics show a 38 per cent spike in fines for mobile phone use in the North from 2012-13.
Northern police issued 962 fines for mobile phone use, compared with 698 in the previous year.
Statewide , the number of fines issued for such offences has increased by 36 per cent, or 768 fines.
Inspector Darren Hopkins, of Northern District Support Services, said patrol officers intercepted drivers who looked like they were drink-driving but were in fact driving erratically because they were busy sending text messages.
He said crash investigators were examining a fatality from recent months where mobile phone use was being looked at as a possible factor, although every possibility was considered.
Inspector Hopkins said the increase in fines for mobile phone use showed that road users were failing to heed the warning message.
‘‘A lot are not necessarily people on their mobile phones talking,’’ he said.
‘‘They sit at the traffic lights texting or reading emails.
‘‘With the onset of more data usage, sitting at the lights using Facebook is exactly the same thing as talking on your mobile phone.
‘‘I defy anyone to tell me that they can text and drive and still have control over their driving.’’
Inspector Hopkins said drivers using their mobile phones on speaker were also a problem, because people often held their phone at waist level and still had to touch it to accept or end a call.
He said Bluetooth devices and hands-free mobile phone car kits were legal options, but were still distractions.