Driver distraction accounted for more than half of almost 200 fines issued by Prahran Highway Patrol during a week-long road safety blitz along Chapel St.

Of the 189 fines issued between September 12 and 18, officers fined 97 drivers for using their phones and a further 47 drivers for disobeying road signs and signals.

In the past four weeks, driver distraction has been the cause of six incidents including a 49-year-old Endeavour Hills woman who was issued a $925 fine after failing to give way and hitting an 87-year-old man on a pedestrian crossing on the corner of Carlisle St and Chapel St on August 31.

The 87-year-old man was transported to the Alfred Hospital and treated for minor injuries before being discharged later that day.

A summary of the 189 offences detected is below:

• 97 mobile phone offences
• 47 disobey signs and signals
• 12 motorcycle offences including unlicensed riding, ride in a bicycle lane and disobey road signs
• 10 seat belt offences
• Nine impaired drivers
• Five failure to wear bicycle helmet
• Four disobey traffic lights
• Three unlicensed drivers to be summons
• Two unlicensed driving infringements
• Two unregistered motor vehicles
• One vehicle impound for unlicensed driving

Local police and members of Highway Patrol will continue to target driver distraction heading into the long weekend to reduce road trauma and make our roads a safer place for drivers, pedestrians, and vulnerable road users.

In the last 12 months ending August 31 this year, Prahran Highway Patrol have issued 782 driver distraction related fines.

The penalty for using your mobile device while driving is a $555 fine and four demerit points.

Acting Sergeant Shane May said: “The worst part of any police officers’ job is knocking on someone’s door and informing them their loved one has been involved in a completely avoidable collision that has resulted in serious injury or death.

“Driver distraction is a leading cause for traffic accidents along Chapel Street with road users frequently choosing to act selfishly and not take into account the safety of those around them.

“If you take your eyes off the road for just two seconds at 50kmh, you will have travelled 28 metres blind.

“It is those two seconds that stand between you and the life of an innocent road user. Checking your phone simply isn’t worth the risk.”