Drivers in region fined £1.3m for using mobile phones
More than £1.3 million in fines has been paid by motorists illegally using mobile phones while driving across the region in the last three years, new figures show.
But forces in Staffordshire, the West Midlands and Worcestershire say initiatives to educate drivers on the dangers of using phones and other devices are helping to halt offenders. Drivers caught using mobiles have stumped up £906,180 in the West Midlands since 2009/10 with around 15,103 fixed penalty notices being issued by officers.
Inspector Greg Jennings, from force traffic, said: "Since August West Midlands Police began trialling the provision of educational alternatives to prosecution for using a mobile phone.
"Drivers who are caught committing this offence and if they fulfil the criteria, can be offered an educational input to improve their driving behaviour as an alternative to prosecution."
West Mercia Police revealed officers issued 2,580 penalty tickets in 2011/12. But this number has fallen from 3,014 in 2010/11 and 3,622 during 2009/10.
This equates to a fall in fines of more than £75,000 paid during the period as alternative sanctions were explored by the force.
In the last 12 months, £99,000 in fines were collected, down from £146,940 in 2010/11 and £175,440 in 2009/10.
Figures from Staffordshire show a large fall in the number of fines requested for mobile phone offences over the three year period.
In 2009/10, a total of 1,576 fixed penalty notices were issued to drivers, but this fell to 434 two years ago and just 152 in the last 12 months - meaning less than £10,000 in fines were collected.
