Police reveal where in Melbourne the most drivers are caught using phones

Tens of thousands of motormouth and text-mad drivers have been caught using mobiles while behind the wheel. New police data has revealed where Melbourne motorists are most likely to get nabbed.

TAC research reveals more than half of all Victorians under 30 have used their mobiles while driving.

Tens of thousands of motormouth and text-mad drivers have been caught using their mobile phones while behind the wheel on Melbourne’s roads, the latest data reveals.

More than 36,800 “using a handheld mobile phone” offences were recorded against drivers and motorcyclists in 2016 and 2017, the police data states.

Moreland was the top spot with 3204 offences detected during the two-year period, followed by Hume (2421), Monash (2393), Boroondara (2360) and Whitehorse (2346).

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Victoria Police road policing operations Superintendent John Fitzpatrick said taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds when driving at only 50km/h meant you were effectively “travelling blind” for 27m.

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“Driver distraction is one of the five leading causes of death on our roads, so it’s very concerning to still be catching people running the risk of killing or seriously injuring themselves or another person for the sake of a phone call or text that can wait till later,” Supt Fitzpatrick said.

“Driving is a complex task that requires full concentration and driving while using a mobile phone is a significant distraction. It can impair your reaction time, ability to maintain speed and position on the road and general awareness of other traffic and pedestrians.”

Drivers caught using a mobile phone face a $484 fine and incur four demerit points.

Learner, P1 and P2 drivers aren’t allowed to a handheld or hands-free mobile phone, with the same penalties applying.

“It’s a no-brainer, when you’re behind the wheel, your eyes should be on the road. Our message is simple — switch off your phone before you switch on the engine,” Supt Fitzpatrick said.

Transport Accident Commission (TAC) research has found almost half of all Victorians aged under 30 had used their phone while driving.

TAC road safety lead director Samantha Cockfield said being distracted for just two seconds or more doubled a driver’s risk of crashing.

“The easiest and safest option is to get rid of the temptation altogether and completely put our phones away while driving. That might mean putting it the back seat, glovebox or even the boot,” Ms Cockfield said.

MOBILE PHONE OFFENCES RECORDED IN 2016 AND 2017

2. Hume - 2421

3. Monash - 2393

4. Boroondara - 2360

5. Whitehorse - 2346

6. Whittlesea - 2092

7. Stonnington - 1975

8. Wyndham - 1953

9. Brimbank - 1882

10. Bayside & Glen Eira -1846

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