Police begin 48-hour crackdown on distracted driving

Belgian police will be conducting a 48-hour awareness-raising crackdown on distracted driving today and tomorrow, federal police have announced.

The operation began at midnight on Wednesday morning and will end on Thursday night.

Almost eight out of 10 people admit they use their phone while driving, according to a recent survey conducted by the Walloon Road Safety Agency (AWSR).

Distracted driving can increase the risk of an accident up to 10 times.

“By announcing this action, we want to make [motorists] think about this irresponsible behaviour, which remains one of our main killers on the roads,” the police said.

“We also want to draw drivers’ attention to the increased objective risk of being checked, and are doing this through an integrated approach to the operation that will enable us to be present throughout the territory with numerous mobile, fixed, visible or anonymous devices.”