CU80 offence code - Breach of requirements as to control the vehicle, such as using a mobile phone from January 2017 to May 2022

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.024727

I note you seek access to the following information:

1. How many offences has your force recorded under the CU80 offence code – ‘Breach of requirements as to control the vehicle, such as using a mobile phone’ – in the last five years including the current year to date (2017 to date)? Please can you break this information down by:
i. Type of licence (provisional car licence holder, full car licence holder)
ii. Month (e.g. April, May).
iii. Age of licence holders when they committed the offence.

2. How many of the offences recorded in the time period stated above incurred fines?

3. What was the value of the total fines incurred for CU80 offences in the last five years?
i. Please break down the total value of fines issued for CU80 offences so far in 2022 by month (e.g. March, April, May, etc)
ii. For years preceding 2022, please break down the total value of fines issued for CU80 offences by year

Please see suggested presentations of the information below:

In case it's helpful, we'd suggest presenting the data in two tables:

1. separated by columns for provisional licence holders, and full driving licence holders, with rows representing offences recorded each month
2. separated by columns for driver age (17-20, 21-25, 26-30, etc), with rows representing offences recorded each month

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - How many offences has your force recorded under the CU80 offence code – ‘Breach of requirements as to control the vehicle, such as using a mobile phone’ – in the last five years including the current year to date (2017 to date)? Please can you break this information down by:

Qi - Type of licence (provisional car licence holder, full car licence holder)

Information on licence type is not recorded and therefore we do not hold this information.

Qii - Month (e.g. April, May).

Please refer to the attachment.

Qiii - Age of licence holders when they committed the offence.

Also provided in the attachment.

Q2 - How many of the offences recorded in the time period stated above incurred fines?

Please refer to the attachment for the number of fines paid and confirmed.

Q3 - What was the value of the total fines incurred for CU80 offences in the last five years?

Qi - Please break down the total value of fines issued for CU80 offences so far in 2022 by month (e.g. March, April, May, etc)

Qii - For years preceding 2022, please break down the total value of fines issued for CU80 offences by year.

In respect of the total value of fines, we wouldn’t know as a number of the cases would have been referred through the judicial system (courts) and we would therefore be unaware of court results or outcomes to assist us in knowing the exact monetary value. Furthermore, all monies collected from fines are paid to Her Majesty’s Treasury Department and you will have to contact them direct for this part of your request.

We can however, confirm the general fine for this offence is £200 plus 6 points on the driving licence when paid in direct response to the issue of a ticket.