DRIVERS using their mobile phones while driving will face stiffer sanctions this time next month.

Penalties will be doubled for drivers caught using handheld mobile devices while behind the wheel from March 1 following a change in the law.

The new legislation means that anyone caught making a call, sending a message, or using their mobile while driving a vehicle will receive six penalty points on their driving licence and a £200 fine.

Currently, drivers face a maximum of three points and a £100 fine.

Twenty-two people were killed and 99 seriously injured in accidents on Britain’s roads in 2015 where a motorist using a mobile was a contributory factor.

Calls for efforts to curb the practice have intensified in recent months following high-profile cases and research indicating it is widespread.

Four members of a family were killed instantly and one person seriously injured after a lorry, driven by Tomasz Kroker, ploughed into a queue of cars on the A34 near East lsley on August 10 of last year.

He admitted he had been changing music on his phone at the time of the crash and was jailed for 10 years.

Thames Valley police released footage of the moment of impact from inside Kroker’s cab, making headlines across the country and leading to many groups calling for tougher sanctions on those driving while on the phone.

Angus Macpherson, Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, welcomed the change in legislation, which comes into force on March 1.

He said: “I fully support the tougher penalties for people caught driving whilst using a hand-held mobile.

“Doubling the penalty points to six and the fine to £200 for a first offence will help to drive home the message that being distracted behind the wheel is a dangerous and expensive gamble.

“People also need to reflect on another change which will mean that those caught twice who have 12 points on their licence will have to go to court and face a large fine and ban.

“Just as drinking and driving has become socially taboo, all of us need to recognise that a moment’s distraction whilst at the wheel can have devastating consequences - and that people who flout this law are putting the lives of others at risk. A text, phone call, tweet or Snapchat picture can wait until you can safely park.

“From March, anyone ignoring that simple advice will run the risk of a hefty penalty.”