FAIR COP

COUNCILLOR DOBS HIMSELF IN

A GOLD Coast City councillor says he’ll pay a $378 fine after a reader pinged him using his mobile phone while driving. Hermann Vorster owned up yesterday after he was shown a photograph taken about 10.45am on January 6 by a bus passenger. Cr Vorster is the second councillor to be in the firing line over a vehicle incident this week. On Monday, Gail O’Neill admitted she had overstayed the parking limit outside her divisional office because she was “busy”.

A GOLD Coast councillor had dobbed himself into police after he was photographed using his mobile phone while driving, saying he is prepared to cop the fine.

Robina councillor Hermann Vorster owned up yesterday after he was shown a photograph taken about 10.45am on January 6 by a bus passenger.

In the photo, Cr Vorster is seated behind the steering wheel of his grey dual cab ute with his iPhone in hand at the Cottesloe Drive-Bermuda Street intersection.

Cr Vorster is the second councillor to be in the firing line over a vehicle incident this week.

On Monday Tugun councillor Gail O’Neill admitted she had overstayed the timed parking limit outside her divisional office because she was “busy”.

Cr Vorster has previously been vocal about road safety, waging a war on speedsters by using local area works money to buy more “smiley” signs, which alert drivers when they are speeding.

Yesterday, after seeing the photograph taken by a resident who refused to be identified, he said he had asked his staff to send the picture to the Robina police station for a fine to be issued.

“I use hands-free to make calls and Siri to send and receive text messages, so I can’t tell you why the phone was in my hand,” Cr Vorster said.

“But what’s good for the goose is good for the gander and I’ll gladly cop the fine because there is no excuse for not driving with 100 per cent concentration.”

Cr Vorster said his phone records showed he had not received or sent a text or made or received a phone call during that time.

He did not know why he would have been using his phone, but said that was no excuse.

“Everyone has an obligation to drive according to the road rules and must be prepared to face the consequences,” Cr Vorster said.

The penalty for using a mobile phone while driving is a $378 fine and three demerit points.

Acting Senior Sergeant Ian Hayden, of the Gold Coast Road Policing Unit, said it was difficult to prosecute off a photograph.

“If the person taking the photograph can give time, date and place in court, we could (prosecute),” he said.

He said if the person in the photograph owned up, they could also be issued a fine.

RACQ spokeswoman Lauren Ritchie said the use of a mobile phone while driving was “one of the fastest growing problems” on the road.

“It is classed as one of the ‘fatal five’ for a reason,” she said.

Ms Ritchie said as well as safety concerns, drivers caught using their mobile phones would be slugged with double demerit points for the second offence. “You could potentially lose your licence from using your mobile phone,” she said.