The campaign “Phone Off - Do not use your mobile phone”, under the responsibility of the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), the National Republican Guard (GNR) and the Public Security Police (PSP), stopped between 23 February and Monday 73,544 vehicles, according to a report released today. GNR inspected 41,751 vehicles and recorded 10,966 infractions, of which 832 relate to the use of a mobile phone while driving. In turn, the PSP inspected 35,487, of which 31,793 in continental Portugal, and recorded 5,876 infractions, of which 5,211 in the continent. Of the infractions registered by the PSP, 365 were related to the use of the mobile phone while driving, of which 332 were in continental territory.

According to the joint balance of the GNR, PSP and ANSR, during the campaign period a total of 1,231 accidents were recorded, resulting in three fatalities, 29 seriously injured and 363 minor injuries. In relation to the same period in 2020, there were 1,344 fewer accidents (-52 percent), 2 less fatalities (-40 percent ), 17 less serious injuries (-37 percent) and 433 less injuries (-56 percent).

According to a note from PSP and GNR, the campaign is part of the 2021 National Inspection Plan, and was disseminated in digital media and through four ANSR awareness actions, carried out simultaneously with the inspection operations carried out by GNR by PSP, in Lisbon, Vendas Novas, Setúbal and Óbidos. In the campaign, 248 drivers were sensitized to whom messages of awareness were transmitted about the negative and even fatal consequences of handling the mobile phone while driving.