Drivers in Burton and South Derbyshire are being urged to think twice before getting out their phone while behind the wheel - or risk a £200 fine.

Derbyshire Police are backing a national campaign from Think!, a road safety organisation, to make drivers aware of the danger they pose to themselves, other road users and pedestrians by using their phone while driving.

Typically, campaigns about mobile phones while driving revolves around talking on the phone or answering text messages, but the 'Don't stream and drive – stay alive' campaign looks to deter people from using a range of smartphone apps with the front-facing camera while in the car.

Popular social media applications, such as Snapchat and Instagram, have functions which require the user to use the front facing camera on their phone to send videos and photos to their friends.

To back the campaign, Derbyshire Police have produced a video showing a woman driving her car and using her phone to send a video of herself singing to her friends. Part way through the video, the camera skews and cuts to the girl in a hospital bed with serious injuries after crashing the vehicle.

A message of 'using your phone to stream while driving could kill you. It's not worth risking your life or the lives of others. Put your phone away, don't stream and drive' appears on screen.

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A spokesman for Derbyshire Police said: "Apps such as Snapchat and Facebook can encourage drivers to send their videos and photos to their mates. But filming yourself while driving – or using your phone for anything at all means you are massively distracted, and distracted driving can be fatal.

"Our message today is 'don't stream and drive'. Don't do a Facebook Live, don't send a Snapchat video, and don't knock together a quick Snapchat story of your latest karaoke effort.

"We'll be doing this work all year round, in conjunction with our colleagues at the casualty reduction enforcement support team and the Derby and Derbyshire road safety partnership. Our message is simple: put your phone away, keep your eyes on the road and stay safe."

The video was shortlisted for a national award after being produced earlier this year and is now being reposted to help raise awareness of the Think! road safety campaign aiming to reduce the number of people using mobiles while driving.

In March 2017, the penalty for holding and using your phone while driving increased to a fine of £200 and six penalty points.

The RAC revealed in a report entitled the RAC report on motoring 2017, 23 per cent of drivers had admitted to using a mobile phone while behind the wheel in the last year alone, while a further 12 per cent claimed to have checked texts, emails or taken to social media.

Using a phone behind the wheel can endanger not just your own safety but others as well
Using a phone behind the wheel can endanger not just your own safety but others as well

According to Think!: "Drivers using a hands-free or hand held mobile phone are slower at recognising and reacting to hazards. Research shows you are four times more likely to be in a crash if you use your phone and your reaction times are two times slower if you text and drive than if you drink.

"Even careful drivers can be distracted by a call or text – and a split-second lapse in concentration could result in a crash."

Think! have advised all drivers to put their phone away before driving to reduce the temptation to use it, with the glove compartment an ideal place. Hands free devices should be used whenever possible, and other people should not be called while driving.

What the law says about driving and using a mobile phone

It is illegal to use a handheld mobile whenever driving a car. This includes using a phone to follow a map, read text or check social media. This even applies when stationary at traffic lights or while queuing in traffic.

To supervise a learner driver, you have to be at least 21 and have held a driving licence for three years, but while supervising it is illegal to use a mobile phone or similar device.

You should only use a phone in a car while safely parked or if you need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it is neither safe nor practical to stop the car.

If caught using a mobile device while driving, you will get a fine of £200 and six points on your licence. Points on your license will see insurance costs heighten and the accumulation of too many will see your licence suspended or taken away.

Getting six points within the first two years of passing the driving test will see you instantly lose your licence.

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