SEIZING mobile phones, harsher penalties, mandatory jail time for repeat offenders and hard-hitting campaigns that shock the public.

These are some of the calls from road safety advocates and politicians who are pushing for an urgent rethink on how authorities tackle the mobile phone “epidemic” on our roads.

Current penalties for using your mobile phone while driving are a $400 fine — the second highest in Australia for this offence — and the loss of three demerit points.

WA Liberals road safety spokesman Peter Katsambanis said existing penalties were not enough of a deterrent.

“We need to look at increased penalties to act as a real deterrent and we need to consider a strong and very confronting advertising campaign, as we have done with drink-driving in the past, to get the message to those who aren’t listening to the current softly-softly approach,” he said.

Higher fines, doubling the loss of demerit points and even mandatory jail terms for constant repeat offenders would offer a stronger deterrent and lead to a change in driver behaviour.

Retired police inspector Neil Royle, who set up the traffic enforcement group, believes police should be given the power to take phones off offending drivers.

“Take it off them for a week, see what that does, see if they can live without it,” he said. “I think the inconvenience is a far better deterrent. It’s an ultra-inconvenience but so is being killed on the roads.”

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RAC general manager public policy Anne Still agreed current tactics were failing.

“Distraction (is) now comparable to speeding and drink-driving when it comes to the causes of road deaths,” she said.

“Without doubt, mobile phone use on our roads is at epidemic levels and there is urgent need to review the current mix of education, enforcement and penalties in WA.”

Road Safety Minister Michelle Roberts said penalties for mobile phone use needed to be reviewed.

“I think it’s certainly worth looking at tougher penalties for repeat offenders,” she said.

But she said confiscating or crushing phones was not on the agenda.

Camera Icon There are calls for tougher penalties against Perth drivers caught using their mobile phones behind the wheel. Credit: One Task

“The real issue though, is too many people in the community think there’s nothing much wrong with using your mobile phone while driving,” she said.

Acting Road Safety Commissioner Iain Cameron said in-vehicle technology, apps and a review of penalties were all being looked at.