NOTTS drivers have been caught dicing with death by using mobile phones at the wheel weeks before a big police crackdown.
The Post yesterday caught 17 drivers breaking the law in two hours – some were even seen texting as they drove along.
Notts Police are planning an April operation to catch motorists and warn them of the dangers after a big surge in the number of people the force prosecutes for the offence.
Chief Inspector Andy Charlton, head of road policing in Notts, said people risk losing control and killing themselves or other people in accidents if they ignore the law.
He described one picture taken by the Post of a driver with a phone pressed to his ear as "madness".
Chief Inspector Charlton added: "People get too attached to their phones. They haven't got the strength to leave their phone alone when it rings and we know it can have tragic consequences if they answer.
"We know people die because of it.
"It's an endemic problem. We are active in tackling it now but we will soon be very active."
In 2011 Notts Police stopped and prosecuted 2,750 people at the roadside for the offence. This went up to 3,721 in 2012.
