WILTSHIRE Police have published a dramatic picture of a head-on car crash on the A4 at Froxfield in a bid to stop drivers using mobile phones at the wheel.

The move is part of a campaign to tackle public concerns around people using mobile phones when driving in Wiltshire.

Sgt Will Ayres of Wiltshire’s Road Policing Unit said: “The photo shows the devastating result using a mobile phone on a road in Wiltshire can have, not to mention the impact it has had on both driver’s lives.

“The investigation into the road traffic collision on the A4 at Froxfield highlights that we will find out if you were using a mobile phone whilst driving and when the evidence is found it will be presented to the courts and robust action will be taken.”

Officers from the Roads Policing Unit had responded to a road traffic collision involving a Mini and a Mercedes.

Following an investigation into the cause of the head-on collision, the driver of a Mini was found to have been on a seven-minute 56-second phone call that was not through Bluetooth or a hands-free system.

At the time, the driver failed to negotiate a left-hand bend and crossed the central white line.

The Mercedes driver suffered multiple life-changing injuries and his life has been drastically changed as a result.

The driver of the Mini was found guilty of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and disqualified from driving and given a suspended custodial sentence.

As part of an effort by police forces across the country this month, officers are asking the public to ‘stand up for hanging up’.

In the RAC Report on Motoring, drivers have raised it as a top issue for four of the last five years.

Police say driving whilst using a mobile phone is one of the fatal four - and you are four times more likely to be involved in a collision as a result.

Texting, selecting music and checking apps on a hands-free device are among many other distractions a phone can cause.

Using a mobile phone whilst driving means you are far less likely to notice and react to a hazard and show poor lane discipline.

As well as increasing your risks of a collision you could face a £200 fine and six points if you use a hand-held phone when driving.

Sgt Ayres added: “The consequences of using a mobile phone can be devastating.

“Officers from the Roads Policing Unit actively target drivers using mobile phones or other distractions whilst driving as one of the fatal four causes for a collision to result in a serious injury or worse, a death.

“The increase in points and penalty in recent years is welcomed and we have noticed a difference in offending behaviour.

"However, there is still a dangerous minority that think it is acceptable to use a mobile phone whilst driving.

“Drivers who use a mobile device are impaired to a degree similar to that of a drink driver and can look directly at hazard yet fail to see them due to their level of distraction.”

If you have the urge to use your mobile phone whilst driving, try putting your phone in a mobile phone blocking pouch whilst driving, put the phone in the glove compartment or use an app to show those trying to contact you that you are driving and can’t be disturbed.

More and more people are committing publicly to not using their phones while driving and you can follow the campaign on social media using the hashtag #StandingupForHangingUp to symbolise this.

You can also follow us on Twitter @WiltshirePolice or @WiltsSpecOps and Facebook @WiltshirePolice.