Two aspects of the new law governing motorists' cellphone use may catch drivers unaware.
Using hand-held cellphones while stopped at traffic lights or intersections and pulling over on motorways to take a call would both be illegal, southern road policing manager Inspector Andrew Burns said yesterday.
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"It's probably those two areas where we think we'll have the most problems initially."
From Sunday, it will be illegal to use a hand-held cellphone while driving.
Anyone caught breaking the new law will be subject to an $80 fine and receive 20 demerit points.
Drivers may use a hands-free mounted cellphone or a two-way radio while driving.
"People have been talking about the cellphone changes for so long I think they pretty much mostly know what they are all about," Insp Burns said.
Initially, police were unlikely to run operations specifically targeting drivers using cellphones.
Police advice for people who had to take a call while driving was to pull over, stop and take the call, but people might be unaware they could not pull over on a motorway.
"We'd say to them in that case `let your phone ring'."
Texting or using your hand-held phone while stopped at traffic lights or an intersection would also be illegal.
"The law is not to use them when you are in the process of driving and while you are waiting at an intersection you are still in the process of driving."
Police wanted drivers to be aware of all distractions.
"We just want people to concentrate on the business at hand."
