Mobile phone convictions rise in Yorkshire, North East and East Midlands

The number of drivers receiving penalty points for mobile phone use has risen in Yorkshire, North East and East Midlands, bucking the national trend.

According to new figures obtained by Kwik Fit through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request the number of drivers committing a CU80 offence, defined as a ‘breach of requirements as to control of the vehicle, such as using a mobile phone’, fell by 19% nationally between 2017 and 2018.

In contrast to the national trend, in Yorkshire the number of drivers receiving penalty points for committing a CU80 offence jumped by 22.6% between 2017 and 2018, with rises of 8.0% in the North East and 5.7% in the East Midlands over the same period.

According to Kwik Fit’s data, more than 1,900 Yorkshire drivers received penalty points for a CU80 offence last year, with increases in the neighbouring areas of Leeds (60% rise), Bradford (52%), Wakefield (77%) and Kirklees – the borough around Huddersfield (82%).

West Yorkshire Police, which covers this area, has used a number of innovative techniques to catch offenders, such as spotting drivers from the top deck of double decker buses or using an unmarked HGV to give a vantage point to look down into vehicles.

The Government has recently announced that it is to close a legal loophole that allows drivers to escape prosecution for hand-held mobile phone use while behind the wheel.

Under the current rules drivers are not permitted to use a hand-held mobile phone to call or text, but drivers have evaded prosecution for filming or taking photos while driving as it is not classed as ‘interactive communication’.

Number of drivers issued with penalty points for CU80 offence:

Source: Kwik Fit/Freedom of Information request to DVLA, 2019