A POLICE crackdown on drivers who use their mobile phones while on the road got underway at 6am today.

Dorset Police has joined a nationwide initiative to remind drivers of the dangers of being distracted at the wheel.

The campaign also serves a reminder that penalties for motorists using a mobile phone are due to increase to six penalty points and a £200 fine from March 1.

The Daily Echo has been campaigning for many years for increased penalties for mobile phone use while driving and has published scores of pictures of offenders.

During the week-long campaign, which runs until Sunday January 29, officers will also remind young drivers that they risk having their licences revoked following a first offence.

More experienced drivers also risk going to court if they offend more than once, with a possible fine of up to £1,000 and at least a six-month driving ban.

Inspector Matt Butler, from the Alliance Roads Policing department, said: "It has been illegal to use a hand-held phone or similar device while driving or riding a motorcycle since December 2003. However, many motorists still fail to see that it is not possible to use a phone and be in proper control of a vehicle.

"Whatever the reason for using a mobile device when driving – texting, scanning a newsfeed or streaming video content – it can wait until your journey is over. Nothing is more important than your safety and the safety of road users around you."

A report published by the RAC in September last year revealed that 31 per cent of drivers now admit to using a mobile phone when driving, up from eight per cent in 2014.

Inspector Butler added: "While enforcement takes place all year round, recent findings underline the importance of campaigns that aim to make using a mobile phone when driving as socially unacceptable as drink or drug driving.

"It is plausible that the percentage of motorists who use their mobile phone at the wheel is even higher than the research suggests, which is why enforcement efforts must be supported by changes in drivers’ attitudes if we are to succeed in keeping our roads safe."

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, Martyn Underhill, said: "A licence to drive can be lethal in the wrong hands. Police officers cannot be everywhere and the responsibility to drive safely should not be dependent on the risk of being caught.

"All motorists have a fundamental responsibility to behave with due care and attention, drive safely and ensure they do not put themselves or others in danger."