Newstalk ZB host Chris Lynch was one of 26 people ticketed for using his cellphone while driving to record a crash scene.

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Christchurch radio host Chris Lynch was among 26 people fined for recording a crash scene on their cellphones while they drove past.

Police say the "perverse" actions of 'rubberneckers' is a growing problem as more people use cellphones to post on social media.

FACEBOOK This photo of the crash scene on Facebook appears to have been taken by a driver passing through the scene.

The crash was in Main South Rd, Templeton, about 1.30pm Monday. An elderly woman hit a power pole and flipped her car.

She was cut free and taken to Christchurch Hospital's intensive care unit with critical injuries. She was now stable in a general ward.

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SUPPLIED Lynch has not responded to a request for comment after being ticketed by police.

The drivers stopped for using their phones received an $80 fine and 20 demerit points.

Lynch, who has 51,000 Facebook fans, has not responded to a request for comment.

Local media filmed him talking to a policeman beside his Newstalk ZB car. A video was posted on the Rise Up Christchurch Facebook page.

Sergeant Paul Piper said officers stopped the 26 drivers as police photographers and the serious crash unit examined the scene.

Many more drivers filmed as they went by, when police were unable to pull them over.

Among them was a tow truck driver and a mother with children in the car. Some offending motorists were snapped by police photographers.

"It's disappointing these people were happily looking through a view finder rather than driving, particularly in a crash scene where they should have been thinking of road safety," Piper said.

"What was surprising is that none of them noticed three police officers standing there – they were so focussed looking at the camera."

Acting Canterbury road policing manager Inspector Ash Tabb said people failed to consider the privacy of the injured woman and the safety of those helping her.

"A significant cause of crashes is people using mobile devices, so there's concerns for people on the road trying to extract the person from the vehicle and [people conducting] road control."

National road policing manager Superintendent Steve Greally​ said recording misery and posting it to social media was "perverse".

Sometimes families found out loved ones were involved in serious crashes before the police could contact them, he said.

"People fail to understand that the person involved is a human being. They have a family who are grieving, and all of a sudden unedited images end up on social media through incredibly poor taste."

THE LAW

Under the Land Transport Rule 2004, drivers can't use a hand-held mobile phone to:

* Make, receive or terminate a telephone call

* Create, send or read a text message or email

* Create, send or view a video message

* Communicate in a similar or any other way.

Drivers breaking the rules are issued an $80 fine and 20 demerit points.

Drivers can use a mobile phone to make a call while driving if it is an emergency and unsafe or impracticable to stop to make the call. Drivers can use a phone if it is hands-free, secured in a mounting fixed to the vehicle.

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