– I could never imagine using the mobile phone, especially not with today’s fine rates, says Rolf Brynildsen. During his long life with a driver’s licence, Brynildsen has experienced being fined, but now he believes the fine is frighteningly high. In February this year, the fine rate for illegal use of a mobile phone while driving was increased from NOK 7,750 to NOK 9,700. Rolf Brynildsen has received two fines for mobile phone use. Both were 15 years ago. At that time the fine was NOK 750. Photo: Rahand Bazaz / news – NOK 9,700 is a very, very large amount of money that I don’t think anyone will want to pay, he says. But the increase has probably had an effect. Since 1 January 2021, the fine rates have increased three times. In one year, the number of simplified summonses for illegal mobile use has fallen sharply, new figures from the Directorate of Police show. Figures from the Norwegian Police Directorate show a decrease of 42 per cent. Still, no one in the police is cheering. In the period 01 February to 30 August 2022, 6,554 were caught for illegal use. In the period 01 February to 30 August 2023, 3,832 were caught for illegal use. New mobile trend is worrying Even though the decline is marked, the police still feel that many people use mobile phones. A new trend worries them. – It is the police’s job to prove that the mobile phone has been used and that is often a challenge, says the head of the emergency police in Østfold, Ola Evensen. – There seems to be a trend where people are increasingly trying to deceive us. A lot of people hold their phone low or have it on their lap, he says. The emergency police’s Østfold chief, Ola Evensen. Photo: Rune Fredriksen/news The police’s own report from last year shows that inattention is among the causes of fatal accidents on Norwegian roads. – We still detect a lot of mobile phone use in traffic. There are still traffic accidents on the E6, for example, with collisions from behind because the mobile phone is used at high speed. It is a problem even if the numbers go down, says Evensen. Critics have turned around Trygg Trafikk was long skeptical that the fine rates increased to such a high level as they are now. Among the critics were also the Attorney General, the Norwegian Police Directorate and the Bar Association. Even police officers refused to issue the high fines. Today, the tone from Trygg Trafikk is different. Special advisor in Trygg Trafikk Viken, Paal-Gunnar Mathisen. Photo: Caroline Bergli Tolfsen / news – I will not prejudge whether the limit for the size of the fine has been reached, but if this is a means of action that works, then I think it is positive, says Paal-Gunnar Mathisen in Trygg Trafikk Viken. But he hopes finances are not the main reason why people put down their mobile phones. – It is sad if that is the reason. It is the risk in traffic that is the most important thing to put it aside, says Mathisen. – We hope the decline continues. The Norwegian Police Directorate does not want to cheer loudly yet, and believes it is too early to conclude whether the actual use has decreased. But they see a downward trend in the number of people who use their mobile phones illegally while driving. This is shown, among other things, by their own survey from 2022. Subject director in the Norwegian Police Directorate, Runar Karlsen. Photo: Torstein Bøe / Torstein Bøe – We have reason to view the decline positively as the survey shows the same. But it is still too early to be able to conclude whether the fine rates are a direct cause of even lower figures, says department director Runar Karlsen. He hopes the numbers will fall further with time. – The fewer people who talk or text while driving, the lower the risk on the roads. We hope the decline continues, says Karlsen. Are you thinking of something? Hi! Would you like to advise me on a possible case? Feel free to contact us by e-mail.
ttn-69
Decrease in the number of fines for mobile phone use while driving – news Oslo and Viken – Local news, TV and radio
