Nearly 120,000 caught using a mobile while driving in 2013

The federal road policing unit and 195 local road policing units caught 118,609 people using their mobile phone while driving in 2013, reports Sudpresse.

In August, the Belgian Institute for Road Safety, IBSR/BIVV, will run a campaign against mobile phone use while driving. Local police registered the most offences – more than 107,000, a figure slightly down on previous numbers. The federal police, however, saw a rise in the number of offences, 10,957 in 2013 against 9,726 in 2012.

In spite of earpieces and hands-free kits, drivers continue to use their mobile phones to send texts, reply to emails and check on social media.

The fine for using a mobile phone while driving is €110.