DRIVERS who flout tough new mobile phone rules will face action this week as police target those who flout the ban.

West Mercia Police will be carrying out 'targeted mobile phone enforcement' this week against those who continue to ignore the law despite harder penalties for those who do.

From today (Wednesday, March 1) the penalties will increase for those caught using a hand-held mobile phone while driving. Both the fine and penalty will double; from £100 to £200 and from three to six points.

Police say that using a mobile phone while driving is a potentially fatal distraction.

It has been illegal since December 2003. Police say studies show that drivers using a mobile are slower at recognising and reacting to hazards.

The increase in the fine and penalty could mean that a newly qualified driver could lose their licence if caught using a hand held mobile phone within two years of passing their test.

A recent 2016 annual report on motoring, by the RAC, suggests the number of motorists who illegally use mobile phones while at the wheel is rising.

1,714 motorists were surveyed and 31 per cent of motorists said they used a handheld phone behind the wheel compared with 8 per cent in 2014.

The number of drivers who said they had sent a message or posted on social media rose from 7 per cent to 19 per cent, while 14 per cent said they had taken a photograph or video while driving.

Superintendent Daryn Elton for Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police said: “Many motorists are already aware that using a mobile phone while driving is illegal.

"This includes using your phone to follow a map, read a text or check social media, and applies even if you’re stopped at traffic lights or queuing in traffic.

"With smartphones becoming more and more embedded into our daily routines, we are all aware of how useful they can be.

"However, it is unacceptable to allow yourself to be distracted by them while driving, and officers will ensure any motorists doing so face the penalties involved.”

“We are urging people to think about the consequences of their actions and ask themselves how they would feel if they caused a collision and injured, or killed, somebody else simply for the sake of making a call, reading a text message or checking social media.”