Drivers break law on phones.

Byline: Clare Usher

THE vast majority of motorists do not know that the law on using mobile phones while driving changed yesterday.

That was the finding of a survey by supermarket giant Tesco.

And the survey's results appear corroborated by the findings of a Daily Post spot check at Liverpool's Pier Head yesterday morning.

The new laws banning the use of mobile phones while driving passed onto the statute book yesterday but will not be enforced for two months in England and Wales.

Scottish police, however, had already fined eight drivers for using a phone while driving. The UK-wide legislation states that motorists will receive a fixed-penalty fine of pounds 30 for breaking the rules, but could face a fine of up to pounds 1,000 if the case goes to court.

Police in Merseyside are giving drivers a warning in line with advice from the Association of Chief Police Officers.

A spokesman said officers had been told to generally give verbal warnings until February and the concession was being made ``in order to assist in the education of drivers''.

Last night, Merseyside officers were logging any warnings they had given yesterday to gather figures on how many people were flouting the law.

Chief Inspector Lol O'Donnell of Merseyside Police said the force's priority was to educate people. He said: ``We want to make people aware of the dangers.''

Some drivers may be unintentionally breaking the law as a survey by Tesco Metro of 1,000 people found that a staggering 94pc did not know anything about the new rules.