MOTORISTS were caught red-handed using their mobile phones while driving yesterday despite a major crackdown.

And police have said it's more of a problem than drink-driving across Oxfordshire with many drivers not realising the 'deadly distraction' their phone could be.

It comes just days after the latest case of a driver admitting 'making emotional phone calls' on the A34 before crashing and killing a 28-year-old man near the Milton Interchange.

Lewis Stratford, 24, of Field Avenue, Oxford, will be sentenced next month for causing the death of Gavin Roberts last June.

In just two hours yesterday morning officers and the Oxford Mail witnessed several drivers in Abingdon Road, Oxford, breaking the law.

One Mercedes driver was spotted resting his phone on the steering wheel.

PC Andy Wickens, involved in the operation, said: "When we pulled him over he said he was working.

"It's massive problem with how society has changed because people are now expected to work 24/7.

"And with people having to commute further, they will start looking through emails and doing bits and pieces on their phone before they are in their office.

"Your car is not your office."

PC Wickens said it wasn't the most ridiculous excuse he had been given: "I remember I pulled over a driving instructor who was taking a lesson.

"He was on his phone because he was checking when his student's theory test was.

"It was unbelievable."

Thames Valley Police released harrowing footage in November when lorry driver Tomas Kroker was jailed for ploughing into stationery traffic on the A34 near East Ilsley, killing a family of four. A dash-cam showed Kroker was distracted while changing the music on his mobile phone.

One of the first people to be pulled into Hinksey Lakes car park yesterday was a young woman on her phone, changing the music.

PC Alan Rodgerson, who tackled the driver about her actions, said: "That's what Tomaz Kroker was doing when he killed that family."

And in a message to other drivers considering using their phone while behind the wheel: "You would not do this while you were doing your driving test, so why do it now?"

Currently drivers caught on their phone are fined £100 and receive three points on their licence. But under new legislation coming in within weeks the fine will be £200 and six points.

Road and safety enforcement officer for Oxfordshire PC Mark Pilling said more needed to be done to make mobile phone use on the roads socially unacceptable.

He said: "It is definitely more of a problem than drink driving.

"We have made drink driving socially unacceptable and you are more likely to have a member of the public phone up and report that.

"But with mobile phone use, people do not seem to realise it can be a deadly distraction, as we have seen recently.

"It needs to get to that stage where it is socially unacceptable to use your phone while driving."

Although the police conduct regular spot checks, there has been a big push this week to clamp down on the crime as part of the National Police Chiefs Council campaign to reduce mobile phone use while driving, which runs until Sunday, January 29.

PC Pilling hopes the new legislation will act as a deterrent.

He said: "If you are caught twice using a mobile phone then that is 12 points on your licence and it is taken away.

"If you have only just qualified as a driver then getting those six points will automatically mean you are a provisional driver and you will have to take your test again.

"There is also no opportunity to take a driving course, you will get those points and that fine."

During the two hour operation yesterday police pulled over 13 drivers, nine for using mobile phones and four for not wearing seatbelts.