Since the start of March 2020 over 9 thousand fines have been issue to drivers caught using their mobile phones in the Hunter.
Transport NSW data reveals since March 1st, mobile phone detection cameras have checked 4,570,131 vehicles in the region.
This resulted in 9,487 penalty notices being issued.
Around one in every 482 drivers checked in the Hunter region from March 1st to June 30th, were issued a penalty notice, an offence rate of 0.21 per cent.
Around one in every 482 drivers checked in the Hunter region from March 1st to June 30th, were issued a penalty notice, an offence rate of 0.21 per cent.
Drivers captured on camera doing the wrong thing receive a $344 fine, or a $457 fine in a school zone, and five demerit points, or 10 during double demerit periods.
Transport for NSW Deputy Secretatr, Tara McCarthy says they are committed to halting the trend.
"Lives are being lost on NSW roads because of drivers illegally using their mobile phones," she said.
"Lives are being lost on NSW roads because of drivers illegally using their mobile phones," she said.
"Simply taking your eyes off the road for
longer than two seconds, doubles the risk of a crash."
"Research has found handheld mobile phone
use while driving is associated with at least a four-fold increase in the risk
of having a crash in which at least one person is killed or injured, and
texting increases the crash risk even further."
