A CAMPAIGN to encourage drivers not to put lives at risk by using a mobile phone behind the wheel was launched on Monday with a countywide radio commercial, posters and leaflets. The campaign uses the message 'Dying to take the call?' in support of the national THINK! campaign. Surrey Police and the Surrey Safety Camera Partnership are working together, with support from Surrey County Council and the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, to warn that mobile phone use is a serious distraction which stops drivers giving the road their full attention, putting lives at risk. The commercial, being run on local radio stations, sends the message that no phone call is worth risking your life for. Research shows that drivers using mobile phones are four times more likely to be involved in a collision. In addition to being distracted and less aware of their surroundings, a driver using a hand-held mobile phone has only one hand to steer, which can lead to careless or dangerous driving behaviour. Since February 27 last year, anyone caught using a hand-held mobile phone while driving has been liable to a minimum £60 fine plus three penalty points on their licence. If the case goes to court, they could also lose their licence and so potentially their job. Between January 1 and December 31, 2007, Surrey Police issued 3,319 Fixed Penalty Notices for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving, plus five for doing so while supervising a learner driver. This compares to 3,909, plus 13 while supervising, in 2006. Chief Inspector Moira Munro, of Surrey Police Roads Policing Unit, said: "The priority for Surrey Police is to reduce the number of casualties on the roads. Because of the serious implications of using a hand-held phone while driving, Surrey Police will take a robust approach to enforcement, particularly in cases involving collisions. "With a hard-hitting radio commercial going out, supported by posters and leaflets, we are hoping that drivers will get the message that no phone call is so important you should risk your life, or the lives of those around you." Duncan Knox of the Surrey Safety Camera Partnership, added: "As well as encouraging motorists to drive at acceptable speeds, our mobile camera vans will be keeping a close watch for anyone using a mobile phone in their car. We'll be writing to the owners of the car warning them about their behaviour and the likely consequences – both in terms of the risks they are taking on the road and how they could lose their licence and their livelihood. "We are also targeting the business community by contacting some of the biggest employers in Surrey and encouraging them to take part in our campaign." Surrey Police and Surrey Safety Camera Partnership recommend that drivers turn off their mobile phones for the duration of a journey, or use them only when safely parked.
