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Severe drop in penalty points for motorists using phone illegally

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Author: | Updated: 17 Apr 2015 11:12

Police forces in England and Wales have been accused of turning a blind eye to motorists using their mobile phone behind the wheel.

The number of drivers handed fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for the offense dropped by 40.7% between 2010 and 2014, according to figures obtained by BBC Radio 5 Live.

That means in 2014, 50k fewer PCNs were issued compared to the 122,752 in 2010.

Information was requested from 43 police forces throughout England and Wales with 36 delivering.

More drivers are flouting the law due to a reduction in visible policing, the IAM says

Chief Constable Suzette Davenport, lead officer for roads policing, has defended the findings saying that forces had adopted different approaches. For example, Staffordshire Police preferred to run a four-hour course with fire and victim support officials, rather than dish out penalty points, especially for first-time offenders.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) believes more drivers are flouting the law due to a reduction in visible policing.

Neil Greig, IAM director of policy and research, reckons the situation will only get worse: “If 470,000 motorists are using mobile phones illegally and 72,000 tickets and 99,000 courses are being processed; it is a tiny and disappointing response.

“More worryingly, neither approach seems to be having any effect on the numbers observed breaking the law.

“Most are still getting away with it. Until the fear of being caught increases we will continue to see drivers taking risks holding mobile devices while driving.”

Fixed Penalty Notices issued in England and Wales:

  2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Number of fixed penalty notices 122,752 117,280 109,693 95,941 72,753
% decrease - - 4% 6% 13% 24%
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