Five mobile phone detection cameras will come into effect in Adelaide today after a three-month grace period.

Transcript

00:00South Australian police say more than 68,000 warning notices were issued to motorists illegally

00:08using their phone while driving during a three-month expiation grace period for five new detection

00:14cameras across Adelaide.

00:16That means one driver every two minutes was caught using their phone behind the wheel.

00:21Police said some of the images captured by the cameras showed drivers with both hands

00:25off the wheel while their vehicle was moving.

00:28They also said multiple motorists had been detected several times, including one caught

00:3333 times and two others pinged on 32 occasions.

00:37Those drivers would have racked up potential fines of more than $20,000 each.

00:42They've got off with a warning, however, that grace period has now come to an end, meaning

00:47from today, drivers caught flouting the mobile phone rules will be hit with a $556 fine and

00:54three demerit points.

00:55If you're over 18, you'll also have to pay a $102 Victims of Crime Levy.

01:01Police say you can only use your phone while driving if it's in a dedicated holder which

01:05doesn't obstruct your view to make and receive calls, as well as for navigation if you've

01:10pre-loaded your route ahead of time.

01:13Police said distraction was a factor in 21 of the 59 fatal crashes and 215 serious injury

01:20crashes across South Australia so far this year, and that mobile phones was a significant

01:25contributor to those statistics, so of course police are now urging drivers to change their

01:30behaviour and not to put themselves and other lives at risk.