DRIVERS continue to flagrantly flout the law by using mobile phones behind the wheel – as a new tougher laws come into force on Wednesday.

A number of motorists were snapped on and around the county's road, clearly using mobiles.

It comes as Sussex Police revealed they send out 1,058 tickets for mobile phone offences last year.

And with new, tougher, legislation coming into force on Wednesday, these drivers risk six penalty points on their licences and a £200 fine – double the existing amount.

Police hope the changes, which will apply to England, Scotland and Wales, will have a significant impact motorists, particularly younger drivers, who risk having their licence revoked following a first offence.

Superintendent Chris Moon, head of the Roads Policing (RPU) for Sussex and Surrey, 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 and show that using a phone while driving won’t be tolerated.

"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.”

Last year trucker Tomasz Kroker killed a mother and her three young children after ploughing into their stationary car at 50mph on the A34 near Newbury. He had been distracted by scrolling through music on his mobile phone.

The nation reacted in horror after authorities released the truck's dash-cam footage - which showed Kroker using his phone less than a second before impact.

Kroker was jailed for ten years.

Meanwhile, a report published by the RAC in September 2016 revealed 31 per cent of drivers had admitted to using a mobile phone when driving, up from just eight per cent in 2014.

Inspector Butler said: "It is plausible that the percentage of motorists who use their mobile phone at the wheel is even higher than the research suggests, which is why enforcement efforts must be supported by changes in drivers’ attitudes if we are to succeed in keeping our roads safe."