AS of today drivers face harsher penalties for using their phones behind the wheel.

The changes in the law mean if they are caught the sanctions double - with a £200 fine and six points on a licence.

Previously offenders faced a £100 fine and three penalty points and there is still the threat of a court prosecution, disqualification from driving and higher fines for serious incidents.

The plans were announced by the Department of Transport in the wake of the conviction of lorry driver Tomasz Korker was jailed for 10 years for killing a woman and her three children and other high profile cases where victims died or were seriously injured.

Superintendent Chris Moon, head of the Roads Policing for Surrey and Sussex Police, said using a phone while driving "will not be tolerated"

He said: "Using your mobile phone while driving has long been a very dangerous activity, and is a reason for many serious crashes. The new penalties reflect this. Although mobile phones are seemingly essential to modern-day life, that does not mean you have to be on it or able to answer it every moment of the day. Our advice is to put your phone on silent, put it in the glove box, or turn it off completely. Get into the habit of telling people who may contact you that you will be driving, and it is also their responsibility to not call you while you are doing this."

Sussex Safer Roads Partnership has been running a campaign since January entitled It Can Wait and the National Police Chiefs Council is leading a week of enforcement to mark the changes, in which the county's police will take part.

Yesterday The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents also warned just one mistake will cost new drivers their licence altogether. The six point penalty is enough for those with a licence for less than two years to have it revoked.

Those who want to get back behind the wheel will have to apply and pay for a new provisional licence, and pass both the theory and practical parts of the test again.

Nick Lloyd, road safety manager at the charity, said: "Taking your theory and practical driving tests can be an expensive and stressful time, so imagine having to go through it all again for one moment of stupidity.

"We understand how difficult it can be to ignore your mobile phone, but there’s not a single reason that will excuse putting people’s lives at risk, and hopefully these new stricter penalties will mean drivers think twice."

FACTFILE

POLICE handed out more than 1,000 tickets for mobile phone offences last year. 

Using a mobile phone was a factor in 22 crashes on Sussex roads, police said. 

Operation Crackdown, where the public can report drivers using phones, received 3,103 complaints.

The only time you can use your phone while driving is to call 999 in an emergency. 

Hands-free kits but road organisations and police advise against using them while driving because they can still prove a dangerous distraction. 

Drivers can no longer take part in an improvement course to reduce the penalty if caught.