DRIVERS using mobile phones on North Yorkshire's roads will be targeted in a new police operation this week.

As part of Operation Spartan - North Yorkshire Police's ongoing road safety scheme to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads - 'flash ops' by the force's Roads Policing Team will see drivers who are using their phones stopped.

The move is part of the National Police Chiefs' Council's enforcement campaign and will see distracted drivers reported by traffic officers and the safety camera vans, which will take photos of drivers using handsets illegally.

Inspector Dave Barf of the Roads Policing Group said: "Despite the dangers of using a mobile whilst driving being widely known and tragic and entirely preventable accidents being reported all the time our local and national press, we consistently see people using their phone behind the wheel.

"I’m sure these drivers think an accident won’t happen to them but sadly my experience as a traffic officer tells me this is not the case. If your attention is taken away even momentarily from the road, this can have serious and catastrophic effects. North Yorkshire Police will not tolerate irresponsible drivers putting others lives at risk and myself and my colleagues will be out in force, targeting drivers who ignore the warnings and continue to drive without due care and attention."

In 2014 North Yorkshire Police issued 656 Fixed Penalty Notices for mobile phone usage and not being in control of a car, which rose by more than a third to 877 Traffic Offence Reports issued for the same offences in 2015.

Julia Mulligan, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, said: "Driving with a mobile phone is completely unacceptable, and more to the point, irresponsible.

"Being distracted at the wheel is one of the fatal four, and using a mobile phone makes you four times more likely to have an accident, and potentially cause you and other serious injury."