Around one person was caught every three minutes using their mobile phone while driving in New Plymouth, a police inspector has revealed.
Taranaki police conducted two operations on Wednesday and found 21 people using their phones while driving and nearly 30 people not wearing seatbelts.
Officers also impounded a vehicle after they arrested its disqualified driver.
Inspector Darren Russell said they were shocked to catch 20 people using their mobile phones while driving in just over an hour in their New Plymouth operation.
He said this worked out to be someone being pulled up every three minutes.
"Mobile phones are a distraction and are a contributing cause in many crashes," Russell said.
"It is disappointing that so many people are choosing to use their phones instead on focusing on their driving."
Russell said 10 people were stopped for not wearing a seatbelt in New Plymouth and one man was arrested.
"One driver was arrested and had his vehicle impounded. He tried to elude being stopped and was found to be disqualified from driving."
Police in South Taranaki also conducted an operation later in the day on Wednesday.
Russell said they found 16 motorists not wearing seatbelts and one driving while using a mobile phone.
"Seatbelts are important in the event of a crash and in many of the fatal crashes we see on the road, those who died had not been wearing seatbelts and thrown from the car."