The undercover HGV catching drivers on their phones

A growing number of drivers are risking lives by using mobile phones behind the wheel despite tougher penalties, police have told the BBC.

Frustrated by the lack of compliance, the Thames Valley force is now deploying sophisticated undercover tactics to catch people in the act.

As part of Operation Tramline, officers in an undercover HGV scan motorway traffic from above, pointing out offenders for colleagues to chase down and take enforcement action.

The four-day operation along parts of the M40 and M25 saw 54 people penalised for using their mobile phone, more than half of the 99 total offences, and many who already had points on their licence.

Insp Simon Hills said there was not one demographic who are most likely to commit the offence and added its severity "is without a doubt the same, if not worse, than drink or drug-driving".

PC Liam Calvert, one of the officers who catches offenders in an undercover car, said using the HGV gives them a new type of advantage.

"...they can look down into a car, they can see what they're doing with it but also you can look into other lorries," he said.

In 2017 the government introduced tougher measures to crack down on drivers using mobile phones by increasing penalty points to six.

But after an initial decrease, the latest data shows the offence rate is now at its highest since measures were brought in.

One person stopped during the operation seemed visibly upset as they already had nine points and now face a driving ban.

Insp Hills thinks people are unable to "join the dots".

"You wouldn't commit a crime anywhere else but you're prepared to put everyone at risk by using your mobile phone," he added.

He also believed advancements in phone technology and the way they are used played a big role.

"They are now an integral part of our life rather than just being used for phone calls," he said.

This is something Shaun Helman and his team at the Transport Research Laboratory in Wokingham have been observing for a while.

"Any quick glance can be fatal, but especially risky if more than a couple of seconds at a time," he told the BBC.

"Mobile phone use, even hands-free, increases crash risk around four-fold. Texting and social media is awful, as you have mind off the traffic, often eyes off the road, and one hand busy."

But would tougher measures reduce the number of offences?

"...we have loads of evidence in the field of deterrence theory showing us people's perception of the likelihood of being caught is the key driver of behaviour – not penalty severity," Helman said.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said the crime was "unacceptable" and tough penalties are in place.

"Improving road safety is our priority, which is why as part of our Road Safety Strategy, we're considering proposals to strengthen the penalties the most serious motoring offences," they added.

Earlier this year, Liberty Mitchell, from Chipping Norton, had her sentence increased after she killed two people in a crash in 2022.

The Attorney General, who referred her case to the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, said: "The offender had previously filmed herself speeding and shared it on social media, showing disregard for the danger she posed to others."

The Thames Valley Police Tasking Team was created in February to reduce the "fatal five" motoring offences - using a mobile phone, not wearing a seatbelt, drink and drug-driving, speeding and careless or dangerous driving.

But unlike standard roads policing units, they conduct special operations and take a zero tolerance approach.

In other words, if you get stopped and have committed an offence you will be prosecuted.

"We will unapologetically enforce against you to make the roads safer for everybody else," Insp Hills said.

Data collected since the team was created shows it has issued 296 tickets to people using a mobile phone while driving. The only offence higher in that time was for people not wearing seatbelt (305).

But Insp Hills emphasised that unlike not wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone affects other road users.

"It's other people that could end up being seriously injured or killed through your decision. And it is a personal decision," he warned.