During the national campaign against distracted driving on October 7 and 8, the Belgian police issued a total of 3,226 fines and immediate penalties. No fewer than 2,877 drivers were fined for using a cell phone while driving, and 1,097 driving licences were immediately revoked.
“The number of violations remains very high,” says the federal police. “This is because, despite the announcements of the campaign, drivers are not paying enough attention to their driving behavior. Distractions while driving – mainly due to cell phones – are one of the main causes of traffic accidents.”
Over 200 control locations
However, the police note that cell phone use was not the only cause of distraction. For example, some people were applying make-up behind the wheel or reading. The traffic police and 112 zones of the local police were deployed at 206 locations throughout the country. In addition, there were also mobile checks.
The number of fines was also high during a similar campaign in February. At that time, 3,118 drivers were caught using a cell phone while driving, and more than 1,000 drivers’ licences were revoked.
Research shows that between 5 and 25% of traffic accidents are due to distraction behind the wheel. Using your phone while driving is said to triple the risk of an accident.
