The public prosecution office has bought 50 mobile smart cameras which can detect motorists if motorists are handling their phones behind the wheel.

Mobile phone use is one of the main causes of deadly accidents in the Netherlands, along with speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Using your phone without a hands-free holder has been banned since 2019 but is still rife, with 160,000 fines last year alone.

At the moment, checks are done by some traffic cameras and police officers driving around in a bus and peering into people’s cars but the new cameras will be operational 24 hours a day.

“We are expecting the number of fines to increase significantly,” head prosecutor Liesbeth Schuijer told broadcaster NOS.

The public prosecution estimates that three-quarters of driver use their phone manually at some point. The cameras are being tested at the moment and will be fully operational from April. People who are caught can expect a fine of €430.