Police fine 106 drivers for holding phones in one Utrecht check
Officers watching from a coach on the A27, A12 and A2 issued 106 fines of €440 each in about six hours on Wednesday.
Traffic police in the province of Utrecht issued 106 fines for holding a phone or other mobile device while driving during a check on Wednesday 14 October. The Team Verkeer officers focused on distraction that day, and wrote the fines in about six hours.
The fine for holding a mobile electronic device behind the wheel is €440. Police say using a smartphone while driving makes an accident 2.5 times as likely.
Officers watched traffic from a touringcar, a coach. Its higher seating position let them see into cars, vans and lorries and spot offences that are harder to see from a police car. When they saw one, they alerted a following car or a motorcycle officer, who pulled the driver over at a safe spot.
The checks took place on main roads in the province, including the A27, A12 and A2, and on several provincial roads.
Police also fined 17 drivers for speeding. They drew up 21 reports (processen-verbaal) for other offences, such as driving without a seatbelt, staying in the left lane unnecessarily or crossing a solid line.
Police urge drivers to set the navigation before leaving, switch off notifications and put the phone out of reach. "A message can wait. Attention to traffic cannot," they said.
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Team Verkeer
Team Verkeer is the traffic enforcement unit of the Dutch police, working within a regional police unit. Its officers carry out checks on the road, such as on phone use, seatbelts and speeding, and write fines on the spot. It matters to drivers because it is the team that usually stops and fines people for traffic offences in its area.