Warning for Notts drivers who use mobile phones to navigate
Drivers who use mobile phones to navigate are being warned to ensure their device is appropriately mounted and to avoid touching it during their journey.
The warning comes after several motorists were pulled over on the M1 motorway for a range of similar phone offences.
Each was spotted on the M1 by the crew of an unmarked HGV during a regular pre-planned operation between October 12 and 16.
Of the 101 drivers pulled over, 46 were dealt with for either calling, texting, navigating or otherwise interacting with their mobile phones at the wheel.
Four of them were driving HGVs and therefore putting other road users at additional risk.
Many of the drivers dealt with for mobile phone contraventions were observed interacting with maps and navigation apps, with their phones either in their hands or secured in cradles.
Anyone seen holding a mobile device is liable for six penalty points and a £200 fine.
Those interacting with an otherwise secured device, meanwhile, are liable for prosecution for other offences, such as driving without due care and attention.
In extreme circumstances where other road users are killed or seriously injured, the use of a mobile device in any capacity may be seen as an aggravating factor.
Sergeant Jim Carrington, of the Roads Policing Team, said: "The good news is that more and more drivers now understand that holding a mobile phone at the wheel is not acceptable.
"The bad news is that there are clearly others out there who think they can interact with a device held in a secure mount.
"As several drivers have just found out to their cost, that is simply not the case, because if you are searching for an address or looking for an alternative route, you are not paying proper attention to the road in front of you.
"The same goes for searching for a particular song or skipping the adverts in your favourite podcast.
"Both actions may seem innocuous, but they can each have catastrophic consequences for you and other road users.
"So, if this sounds like you, please take a moment to think about your habits behind the wheel and the potential consequences of your actions.
"At best, those consequences could be a fine and points on your licence; at worst, they could lead to a lengthy prison sentence."