Avon and Somerset Police has announced it is joining a nationwide crackdown on people who use mobile phones while driving.

The Somerset police will carry out an enforcement operation over the next three weeks to target drivers who are distracted by mobile phones and other devices at the wheel.

Since 2021 there have been 4,500 collisions resulting in injury or death on Avon and Somerset roads. Avon and Somerset said drivers who use a mobile phone, whether handheld or hands free, are four times more likely to crash.

The new crackdown started on Monday February 27 and is due to last for three weeks. The force said in a statement: "Our officers will be carrying out high profile intelligence and data led enforcement across the region to reassure the public and help to influence driver decisions around using a mobile behind the wheel.

"We’re using this operation to highlight changes to the laws around mobile phones, raising awareness that it is now illegal to hold and use a mobile phone, sat nav, tablet or any device that can send or receive data, while driving a motor vehicle or riding a motorcycle."

The force renewed warnings that it is illegal to use your phone while driving even when stopped at traffic lights or queuing in traffic. The penalties for being caught using a phone behind the wheel rage from six points and a £200 fine to being disqualified from driving and a £1,000 fine.

Inspector John Shaddick of the Tactical Support Team said: "In the last 12 months, we’ve received 713 videos of drivers using their mobile phones from drivers with dash cams.  We’ve taken police action in 607 of those cases, and are grateful to members of the public who are working with us to keep our roads safer.

"Based on figures published by the government in 2021, we can expect 100 people to lose their lives on UK roads during the three weeks of this operation.  It’s a shocking statistic and the reason why we are committed to taking dangerous drivers off the roads around the clock, every day of the year.”