Gwent is home to the most significant increase in phone-related driving offences, with a huge year-on-rise of 229 percent, rising from 134 in November 2021-2022 to 441 in November 2022 – 2023.
Figures from the Ministry of Justice highlight that this is a consistent issue in the area. In 2022, 2,695 motorists caught by Gwent Police were convicted in courts for speeding offences, which was up 20 percent from the year before.
In England, the study revealed that Wiltshire has the most considerable increase in phones behind the wheel, rising from 521 to 1,061 across the same period. Known for its prehistoric monuments and tourist hotspots, the 104 percent rise in mobile phone driving offences is far from what makes Wiltshire a desirable area.
In an effort to reduce the growing statistics around phone driving offences, The National Police Chiefs’ Council have set out a three-week initiative throughout March, which many regional forces from Norfolk to Northumbria supported. The goal was to raise awareness of the substantial risk drivers take when using their phones behind the wheel to reduce related incidents.
One of the supporting forces of this initiative shows strong signs of improvement within their region. Offences in Northumbria have reduced by over half (52 percent), down from 1,172 to 560 year-on-year, the largest reduction across the UK.
Additionally, North Wales has seen offences reduce by a quarter which is the second biggest improvement in the study.
The latest traffic cameras used by police can detect if a driver is using a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt.