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“Phone Off” campaign detects more than a thousand drivers using a mobile phone while driving

Dr Photo - “PHONE OFF” CAMPAIGN DETECTS MORE THAN A THOUSAND DRIVERS USING A MOBILE PHONE WHILE DRIVINGAs part of the road safety campaign “Phone Off” that took place over the last seven days,  the security forces recorded 16,177 infractions, of which 1,164  were related to the use of the mobile phone while driving.

The campaign “Phone Off – Do not use your mobile phone”, the responsibility of the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), the National Republican Guard (GNR) and the Public Security Police (PSP), was carried out between 23rd February and 1st March.

GNR inspected 41,751 vehicles and recorded 10,966 infractions, of which 832 relate to the use of a mobile phone while driving.

In turn, the PSP inspected 35,487, of which 31,793  were in mainland Portugal, and registered 5,876 infractions, of which 5,211 were in mainland Portugal. Of the infractions registered by the PSP, 365 were related to the use of the mobile phone while driving.

According to the joint total of the GNR, PSP and ANSR, during the campaign period a total of 1,231 accidents were recorded, resulting in three fatalities, 29 seriously injured and 363 minor injuries.

In relation to the same period in 2020, there were 1,344 fewer accidents (-52%), 2 less fatalities (-40%), 17 less serious injuries (-37%) and 433 less injuries (-56%).

According to a note from PSP and GNR, the campaign is part of the 2021 National Inspection Plan, and was disseminated on digital media and through four ANSR awareness actions, carried out simultaneously with the inspection operations carried out by GNR by PSP, in Lisbon, Vendas Novas, Setúbal and Óbidos.

Original article available in Portuguese at http://postal.pt/