210 West Midlands drivers caught on the phone in four weeks
More than 200 drivers in the West Midlands have been caught on their mobile phones since a major crackdown was launched.
Figures show West Midlands Police stopped 210 drivers between March 1 and March 28 for being on their mobile phones while behind the wheel. This averages out at around seven drivers being caught each day.
One man was even caught doing his online banking while driving on the M5 near Birmingham.
Only five forces across the country, including London's MET Police, stopped more drivers in the same period than West Midlands Police.
Steve Gooding, director of the motoring research charity, said: "Driving is a safety-critical activity that requires our full attention. Hands need to be on the wheel and eyes looking out of the windscreen, not down at the phone screen."
On March 1 the penalty for being caught was upped to six points and a £200 fine from three points and a £100 fine.
In total, forces across the UK penalised almost 6,000 drivers in the four weeks after tougher punishments took effect - the equivalent to one every seven minutes.
A freedom of information request was submitted to all police forces in the country but seven, including Staffordshire Police, did not respond meaning the number of drivers caught is likely to be higher than 5,977.
The Metropolitan Police registered the highest number at 2,037, meaning more than 70 drivers were caught using a handheld phone on London's roads each day.
Thames Valley Police recorded the second-largest total at 478, followed by Police Scotland (339), Hampshire Police (280) and Cheshire Police (224).
National Police Chiefs' Council lead for roads policing Anthony Bangham said: "Drivers need to understand that this is not a minor offence and you will be prosecuted under new, tougher penalties."
He said forces are committed to tackling the behaviour, adding: "Encouraging results from recent campaigns show how effective new tactics and innovative approaches can be."
