Dozens of drivers in Moray have been charged by police about being caught using their mobile phones while at the wheel.
Officers carried out a two-day operation across the region on Wednesday and Thursday this week to target motorists ignoring the law.
Yesterday it was revealed 27 drivers were spotted using their mobiles while on the road – most of whom were either texting or using apps.
The minimum penalty for the offence has recently been raised to a £200 fine and six penalty points.
Yesterday Walter Wilson, chairman of Moray Council’s police and fire and rescue committee, welcomed police targeting offenders.
He said: “Unbelievably it shows that people are still ignoring the warnings.
“Any time the police go out and do an operation like this it’s worthwhile because it helps to get the message home.
“I’ve got no sympathy for drivers that use their phone while driving – they deserve the penalties they get.”
Committee member Gordon Cowie added: “It’s good to see the police going full tilt at it to make the roads safer.
“Phones have proved to be a major cause of accidents. Hopefully this has prevented some.”
During the operation police also charged drivers for being in vehicles without valid road tax and for having defective tyres.
Two cars were seized for being driven with no insurance and another was banned from the roads due to it being in such a poor condition.
Constable Dave Cooper from the road policing unit said that people who think they can maintain concentration while using their mobile phone are “deluding themselves”.
He said: “This operation shows that despite the obvious dangers and increased penalties associated with using a mobile telephone when driving, some people still persist in putting the safety of others and themselves at risk.
“It was especially worrying to see that the majority of these drivers were actually composing text messages or using various apps and not even looking at the road.”
