A NEW campaign has been launched highlighting the potential cost of using your mobile phone while driving.

It will be 16 years next weekend (Dec 1) since legislation outlawing the use of hand-held mobiles when behind the wheel came into force.

But latest figures indicate that many motorists in the region are flouting the law.

Last year, 1,578 offences of using a mobile phone while driving were recorded in West Yorkshire – that equates to around four people a day.

Now police are beginning a concerted campaign to crack down on offenders and educate motorists about the dangers.

Chief Inspector Lisa Kirkland, head of the West Yorkshire Police roads policing unit, said: “People underestimate the serious impact a matter of seconds looking at the screen of your mobile or taking a call can have on your ability to drive safely and react to hazards that are ahead of you.

“The law banning the use of mobile phones while driving has been in place for well over a decade, and this along with increases in penalties has gone some way to make the use of a mobile phone socially unacceptable.

“The cost is not just a fine, it could be a criminal record, it could be losing your job, it could be a serious injury or even worse killing someone for that one moment of checking a text or answering a call.

“We will be proactively working throughout the next month to stop people who are driving whilst using a mobile and educate people on the consequences of using a mobile behind the wheel.”

Anyone caught using a hand-held mobile while driving faces a £200 fine and six penalty points on their licence.

New drivers who have passed their test in the last two years will automatically lose their licence.

If taken to court, motorists could be disqualified and fined up to £1,000 – or £2,500 if you’re driving a lorry or bus.

Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said road safety was a key priority in his Police and Crime Plan and something which was “really important” to communities.

He added: “Whilst the term covers a whole range of issues, driving while using a mobile phone is a completely avoidable hazard.

“Education is a key area for improving the safety of our roads and I will be supporting this campaign, which really drives home the consequences of using a mobile phone while behind the wheel – from the financial implications, to far worse.

“The message is simple, it’s not worth it!”