Chatting drivers could lose mobiles
Published: March 19, 2006
MOTORISTS in Australia caught using hand-held mobile phones while driving could have their handsets confiscated by police.
And road-safety groups say the $100 fine for driving while using a hand-held mobile phone is too soft and should be tripled.
Frustrated traffic police say drastic action is needed to stop hundreds of “arrogant” and “lazy” WA motorists who continue to talk on phones while driving.
The Sunday Times saw eight motorists chatting on mobiles in just 25 minutes at a CBD intersection this week.
A WA study showed people who used a mobile phone when driving were four times more likely to have a serious crash.
Outspoken WA district superintendent David Parkinson said confiscating phones would be a greater deterrent than a fine.
He will propose the penalty to Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan.
“Take the phone off the person. In most cases they probably care more about losing their phone than losing their licence,” Supt Parkinson said.
“Then we should charge them $20 a day for safekeeping.
“It’s a great deterrent. We need tougher measures because the fact is the message isn’t getting through.”
WA Road Safety Council chairman Grant Dorrington agreed tougher penalties were needed.
He said the $100 fine for driving while using a mobile phone should be doubled, even tripled, and handsets confiscated.
New South Wales and Queensland motorists cop a $225 fine if caught while driving.
“We need to increase fines and we also need to take the phones from people,” Mr Dorrington said.
“Unfortunately, some people don’t change their ways unless you penalise them and then they scream.”
RAC spokesman David Moir said there needed to be more advertising and education about alternatives such as hands-free kits before phones were confiscated.
“There are other avenues we need to explore before simply seizing phones,” Mr Moir said.
Supt Parkinson said police caught motorists every day who put lives at risk by chatting while driving.
“It’s everyone. Last week I booked a real estate agent, an elderly lady, business people, kids, the list goes on,” he said.
“Police have been targeting this and we haven’t made the slightest impact. We haven’t made a dint.”
He said motorists who used a phone while driving were arrogant and lazy.
“For 25 bucks you can go down to Dick Smith’s and get a hands-free kit,” Supt Parkinson said.
Queensland police also have proposed mobile phones be confiscated from offending motorists.
Their calls were prompted by a Gold Coast magistrate who overruled a traffic fine against a driver who showed his telephone bill as evidence that he had not been talking at the time he was ticketed.
But police were outraged, saying the driver may have received a text message or used other phone functions that would not be itemised on the bill.
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