Motorists are being urged not to use their phones while driving

Operation Belt Up forms part of Grampian Police's drive to reduce the number of road deaths and tackle careless driving.

Motorists caught during the offensive will be warned or reported to the procurator fiscal.

Officers will also breathalyse drivers during the six-day campaign.

Sergeant Nina Harrower, who is co-ordinating the operation, said: "By using a mobile phone while driving your attention is inevitably diverted from the road and what is happening around you.

As road users we all have a part to play in making our roads safer for everyone Sergeant Nina Harrower

"This puts the driver, passengers and other road users at a risk which is unacceptable.

"Although failure to wear a seat belt would be unlikely to cause an accident, it goes without saying that by failing to wear a seat belt your injuries are likely to be much greater.

"It is for these reasons that we feel that this operation is so important. As road users we all have a part to play in making our roads safer for everyone."

Road accidents

Five people were killed in road accidents in Aberdeen from April 2003 to March this year.

Seventy four people were seriously injured and 344 suffered slight injuries.

During the same period, driver inattention was a factor in 17% of all road accidents in Aberdeen.

More than 1,300 people were charged for not wearing a seat belt while driving.