POLICE have announced a week-long crackdown on drivers who use their mobile phone at the wheel.

Traffic cops in Durham and Cleveland will launch a campaign tomorrow (THURS), promising to “educate drivers and robustly enforce the law”.

During 2014, a total of 891 drivers were issued with fixed penalty tickets across the two force areas for using a mobile while driving.

Another 51 were stopped for not being in proper control of their vehicle, including eating food and applying make-up.

Those caught are given a £100 fine and three points on their licence.

Chief inspector Alison Jackson, of the joint Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit said: “Driving any vehicle requires and deserves your full attention. To do anything else puts your life, the lives of any passengers and other road users at risk.

“Driving while using a mobile phone is one of the ‘fatal four’ contributory factors in serious road traffic collisions. You are more likely to be involved in a serious or even fatal collision as a result of your poor judgment in using a phone.

“Texting is just as bad as making or receiving a call. Taking your eyes off the road for even a second can have serious consequences.

“Over the next week our officers will be making this offence a priority and will stop anyone they see either using a mobile phone, or for some other reason not having full control of their driving.”

Department of Transport figures suggest that between 2007 and 2012, there were at least 480 crashes which resulted in fatalities, or people receiving serious or potentially life-changing injuries involving use of mobile phones.