NSW Operation Compliance Nets Close To 800 Mobile Phone Users

New South Wales police have nabbed close to 800 motorists in a 24-hour statewide blitz on mobile phone use while driving.

Police detected 796 motorists talking or texting on their phones during ‘Operation Compliance’ on Wednesday 8 February 2012: 632 on metropolitan and 164 on regional or rural roads.

“The effect of using a hand-held phone behind the wheel has been widely studied and is universally acknowledged to dramatically increase the risk of having a crash", Acting Superintendent Phil Brooks said.

“We will continue to target motorists using their mobile phones because, clearly, by not concentrating solely on driving their vehicle and their surroundings, they are putting other road users at risk.” 

Motorists in Rose Bay and Surry Hills were the state’s worst offenders, with 115 and 113 caught using their phones in those areas respectively.

Motorists in Newcastle (23), Tweed/Byron (19) and Griffith (17) recorded the most offences in regional and rural New South Wales.

NSW police issued a further 350 infringement notices during the same period for school speed zone and children's crossing offences.

Acting Superintendent Phil Brooks warned NSW motorists that police would continue to target such offences saying that "to catch 1146 motorists using their mobile phones and misbehaving around schools in just 24 hours is very concerning”.