290 incidents of motorists using phone behind the wheel recorded by Nottinghamshire Police in first half of 2025, data request reveals

Nearly 300 incidents of motorists using hand-held devices have already been recorded by police this year — almost as many as the whole of 2024.

Between January and June 2025, 290 incidents of this kind were recorded by Nottinghamshire Police.

In the whole of 2023 this number was 468, and in 2024, 348, meaning if incidents continue at the same volume for the remainder of this year, it could exceed levels recorded in previous years.

The figures were revealed in response to a freedom of information (FOI) request submitted to the force by personal injury claim experts Accident Claims Advice.

Chief Inspector James Walker, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Road safety is a key force priority, so our officers will always look to take appropriate action, should we see anything that potentially compromises that safety.

“That includes anyone who uses a mobile phone or another handheld device while they’re driving. If you do this, you’re more likely to get distracted and lose concentration at the wheel and cause an accident, which is clearly not acceptable.

“Our specialist Roads Policing teams conduct regular patrols designed to keep people safe on the roads by identifying and stopping ‘Fatal 5’ offences.

“These include speeding, drink and drug-driving, not wearing a seatbelt, careless and inconsiderate driving, and using mobile phones while behind the wheel.

“In addition to Fatal 5 operations conducted by our Roads Policing Unit, all our officers across the force are encouraged to act if they spot any of these offences while they’re out on patrol.

“Anyone seen using their phone while driving faces the prospect of receiving a fixed penalty notice (FPN), points on their licence, and being summoned to court.

“More than that though, by being distracted at the wheel, they risk putting their lives and those of other road users at risk, so my message to them would be to focus on the road and leave your phone alone – it really isn’t worth it.”

If a motorist is caught using their phone — or another hand-held device — while driving, they could be given a £200 fine and have six penalty points added to their licence.

If the driver does not pay the fine, they can be prosecuted in court, where they could be made to pay as much as £1,000.

The force could not confirm if a FPN was given in all 290 cases this year.

Repeat offending could result in a larger fine, more points, and the driver losing their licence.

The FOI request also revealed a small number of cases — less than five in both 2023 and 2024, and none in 2025 to date — of recorded incidents of a supervisor of a provisional driver using a hand-held device.

Accident Claims Advice solicitor Michael Higgins said: “The number of mobile phone driving offences is extremely worrying — especially given the potentially devastating consequences of someone not paying full attention when operating a vehicle.

“A road traffic accident caused by someone looking at their phone while driving could turn a person's life upside down in a split second.”