A TOTAL of 15 drivers were caught using a mobile phone during a two-hour period in Bournemouth yesterday.

It marked the second day of a week-long crackdown on drivers who use mobile phones behind the wheel.

Officers from Dorset’s road policing and No Excuse teams spent the morning patrolling around Wallisdown Road, Castle Lane and the A338 Spur Road areas.

During a two-hour period 15 motorists were caught using a phone while driving.

PC Simon Fairholme told the Echo that one of the main problems is people are so used to having these gadgets.

“Nowadays everything seems to be governed by mobile phones and people just can’t seem to be without them - even when they are driving,” he added.

“The problem is that drivers don’t realise that using a mobile phone is one of the worst things you can do while behind the wheel.

“Drinking and driving is socially unacceptable and driving with a mobile phone needs to be as well.”

One of the motorists stopped yesterday was a 37-year-old man, from Christchurch, who was caught using a mobile phone while driving a white Citroen Berlingo vehicle on the Wessex Way.

According to PC Fairholme the driver didn’t think he was doing anything wrong because he had headphones in and was trying to answer his phone, which was on his lap.

“The problem is he had the phone in his lap and was looking down, with his eyes completely off the road, trying to answer it,” he added.

“This is obviously very dangerous not just to him but other road users.”

The enforcement campaign, which runs until Sunday, will see offenders reminded of the dangers of being distracted at the wheel and the upcoming legislative changes on mobile phone offences.

Under the new rules, which come into effect on March 1, drivers can expect to receive six points on their licence and a £200 fine - double the previous penalty.

PC Sean Todd explained that these changes will have a significant impact on young motorists, who risk losing their licence if caught on the phone just once.