The Jersey Evening Post has launched a community campaign, Hands Off, which aims to stop motorists using their mobile telephones while driving.

The newspaper has teamed up with the island’s biggest phone company, Jersey Telecom, and reader Paul Newman, whose sister was killed by a driver who was allegedly using his mobile at the time.

The campaign will run over seven weeks and has the backing of the States of Jersey Police and the island’s Road Safety Panel.

The police will carry out a crackdown on motorists using their phones during the campaign, which will be supported by regular articles in the Post emphasising the dangers of doing it, as well as the legal consequences.

Using a phone while driving is illegal in Jersey but there is widespread non-compliance and more than 300 motorists have been prosecuted this year.

Jersey Evening Post delivery vans and the Jersey Telecoms’ fleet has been re-liveried for the campaign to carry the Hands Off logo, which was designed by one of the newspaper’s artists, Mark Jackson.

School children will have the opportunity of winning a top of the range laptop from Jersey Telecom by designing a flyer which will be given to every person buying a new mobile in the island.

Editor Chris Bright said: “Using mobile phones while driving is a very modern malaise with potentially lethal consequences. We hope to encourage our readers to stop and think before they do it.”

Editor Chris Bright with one of the JEP delivery vans

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