NSW Road Minister Duncan Gay has said he is being "deliberately tough" in raising demerit points for drivers caught using mobile phones.

And this year, for the first time, the State Government will include mobile phone offences in the double-demerit penalty period over Christmas and New Year.

People caught talking on a mobile phone or texting while driving from the December 24 to January 3 will lose six points.

From next year, the standard penalty for mobile phone offences will increase from three to four demerit points.

"Next year, when it jumps to four points, it'll be eight points when you're caught (during the double-demerit period)," Mr Gay said.

"Now you might think this is a bit tough, I don't give a damn. We're deliberately making it tough."

Get Your Hand Off It a success: Gay

Mr Gay said the Get Your Hand Off It campaign had been a success.

Police figures showed the number of fines issued had dropped from 52,000 to 32,000 since the campaign started along with a fine increase to $319.

"That's why we're going to the next step - 32,000 is still too many, and as we drive around we still see too many doing the wrong thing."

Bernard Carlon from the Centre for Road Safety said a driver was 20 times more likely to crash if they were texting while driving.

"Travelling at 60kph, you can travel 33 metres in two seconds blind if you're looking at your phone," he said.

"At 100 kilometres per hour if you have your eyes off the road, you travel the length of an Olympic swimming pool."

He reminded L-platers and P1 drivers that they could not use a phone while behind the wheel.

Mr Carlon said the road toll had reduced by one-third over past double-demerit point periods.

There have been 317 deaths on the road this year, which is 34 more than at the same time last year.