Cape Town police confiscate driver's phones

Could this initiative work in the UK?

Posted: 12 July 2012
by Visordown News

Maybe she was born with it?

COPS in Cape Town, South Africa, have started to confiscate mobile phones being used by drivers.

The action by police follows the introduction of a new law which states that phones can only be used on a car with a hands-free kit and anyone caught using their phone will have it confiscated. The phone-using driver is given a 500 Rand (approx £45) fine and can only get the phone back by reporting to a police station 24-hours later.

City officials brought in the new law, saying they were fed-up with fining 8,000 drivers a month without seeing any change in their behaviour.

One of the first offenders to be caught, Jason Hill, told Reuters: "We are South Africans, you know. We are always going to use the device and be on the lookout for cops. It's just the way we are."

Isn't it about time we had something like this in the UK?


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Discuss this story


thoppa
You can get a replacement SIM and phone in minutes. It's just a little more hassle and a little more money. They need to confiscate the mobile and the car. For a week.

Posted: 12/07/2012 at 11:13


Pete Hewlett

take the phone AND the car AND lock them up for a month ... might be a nice deterrent.


Posted: 12/07/2012 at 12:39


mikeprytherch
Its more than just a hassle, this is a great idea, don't forget you lose your number, this would be the biggest issue for most people, the police could inform the network providers so they couldn't get their number back, even if it stops one person its a result.

Posted: 12/07/2012 at 13:37


AFKAN
Wow we need that over here. At least then people will be inconvenienced other than just a small fine.

Posted: 12/07/2012 at 17:16


Fred Maxwell 4
What provider is going to hand you a new phone and SIM card for a pittance and not require that you sign some multi-year contract? Even if they would, how many people have the option of just going to a phone store instead of to work, their child's daycare, or to the medical appointment they were heading to when the police confiscated their phone?

Posted: 12/07/2012 at 21:53


Szmolo
I like this idea but in a more extreme format - Use your phone whilst driving and your number will be blocked by your service provider for 1 week along with the phone which has to be picked up from the police station.

More hassle is what this situation needs, make using a phone whilst driving more trouble than it is worth. Warnings do not work, fines don't work either. Take their sim and IMEI away and they are without their numbers, contacts, applications etc.

Repeat offenders should be banned from having a mobile device. This will force if they are desperate them to use PAYG and to stump up lots of cash for their pretty iPhones as they won't be able to sign up for a contract to get the phone for free.

Posted: 12/07/2012 at 22:05


Greggusrex
Fines going up soon I think - £90 plus 3 points. Should be same as no insurance fixed penalty - £200 and 6 points!! That may then have deterrent effect.

Of course, if they weren't cutting police they may have more chance of getting caught in the first place!

Speed cameras don't work for this either!!

Grrr!

Posted: 12/07/2012 at 22:33


whyhaveone
All in favor of anything that will cut down on the brain-dead people that drive whilst using a mobile.

Posted: 12/07/2012 at 23:27


Kerry Moralee
As the man said though "we'll use the device and be on the lookout for the police" - so not only are they distracted by using a device, they are distracted by constantly watching for police. Double distraction. I wonder when they will actually get time to look at the road.

I think it may only change it for those who are caught. Those who aren't will continue to be a danger.

Posted: 13/07/2012 at 08:23


AKORN
Good idea. Could use some tweeking. We need it here in the States.

Posted: 13/07/2012 at 11:24


SurreyNewbie
I'm sure that R500 in the hamnds to the traffic officer would be all it took to "make the issue disappear"... it won't really work, corruption too high in SA. One of the reasons I left!

Posted: 13/07/2012 at 11:31


colemanisor
Bring back the stock's, instead of throwing rotten cabbages, throw phones at the bastards

Posted: 13/07/2012 at 14:22


duck51
Traffic office should take the phone, drop it on the floor then stamp on it, then give it back to the driver in bits.
Then issue a ticket for £1000 and 6 penalty points.
Drivers using mobile phones are really brainless morons and should be treated as such. Lets face it its deliberate intentional dangerous driving and should be treated as such.

Posted: 13/07/2012 at 23:21


geerno
Should be a 6 month license suspension for the first offence and harsher for subsequent offences.

That's the only deterrent for something so hard to catch people doing. And let's face it, it's bloody dangerous, how many harmful or fatal accidents are caused by texting that are never admitted.

Posted: 14/07/2012 at 16:39


Harby
I think using a mobile phone users should be treated in the same way as drink drivers - give offenders a minimum of a 12 months driving ban. Now THAT is a deterrent!

Posted: 14/07/2012 at 21:06


Frank Zappa
What about just the brain dead people who drive while reading, putting on makeup, eating, drinking, smoking, listening/singing/air drums to the radio and lets not forget those that drive while trying to see the thing they just passed instead of keeping their eyes on the road in front of them.
There should be a moron driving test

Posted: 15/07/2012 at 12:28

Talkback: Cape Town police confiscate driver's phones