The use of mobile phones while driving is responsible for one in four fatal road accidents, police claim.
Cheshire Police have dealt with 34 fatal collisions since the start of the year.
And while there are different reasons for a crash, handheld mobile phones are a contributory factor in at least one in four of them.
To combat the concerning trend, Cheshire Police are launching a week-long operation to target motorists who drive while using a mobile phone.
Inspector Steve Griffiths, from the Cheshire Roads Policing Team, said: “As a senior investigator I’ve dealt with many serious and fatal collisions, and in recent years I’ve found that increasingly more of these incidents have involved mobile phones.
“Dealing with such cases is heart wrenching, and the hardest part is explaining to someone that a loved one has died because someone felt a phone call or text message was more important than a life.”
So far this year officers have issued more than 2,100 tickets to motorists for driving while using a mobile.
Anyone who is caught faces a £100 fine and three penalty points on their licence, as well as an increase in their car insurance premium. This could result in the driver losing their licence and even their job.
As well as enforcement, the campaign, which starts on November 14, will educate drivers about the dangers. Insp Griffiths said: “This operation is not just about issuing tickets, it’s also about educating motorists about the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving to help prevent tragedies occurring.
“My advice is simply, if you’re driving a car, concentrate on the road and not your mobile phone. It could be the difference between life and death.”
David Keane, Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Road safety is one of my priorities and it is pleasing to see the work that the roads policing team is undertaking to help make Cheshire roads safer.
“I have great admiration for the work undertaken by our family liaison officers, who have the heartbreaking role of informing families that their loved ones have died.
“However, much of their work could be entirely avoidable if motorists paid more attention to the road, rather than their mobile phones.”
