Drivers and motorcyclists who use cell phones while on the road face being pulled over by the Police and given a fine.

A tougher approach to combat the practice is being adopted by the Police, which has sent out a warning requesting drivers of all vehicles to stop using mobile phones while on the move.

The practice is to be discussed at the next meeting of the Road Safety Council, with chairman Dr. Christopher Johnson stayng open-minded until all the evidence and information from other countries that have introduced such bans has been assessed.

But he agrees motorcyclists who use a hand-held cell phone as they ride ? to either make a call or text ? are ?crazy? and should desist.

The Police are directing the warning particularly at bike riders who use cell phones tucked into their helmet or hand held while they are riding.

Police said: ?It is now apparent some cyclists are riding while using their cellular phones to send text messages. We strongly urge riders of auxiliary cycles and motorcycles to refrain from these practices as they are potentially dangerous.?

Anyone seen by a Police officer talking or texting on a cell phone while riding or driving any vehicle will be be stopped and given a ticket for driving without due care and attention.

Dr. Johnson, who heads the Road Safety Council, said he was aware the issue had been investigated by his predecessor Dr. Froncioni and the former council with the general feeling that, in jurisdictions that have imposed bans on motorists using cell phones, there has been no statistical decrease in accidents or injuries on the road.

However, he is aware Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown?s feelings on the matter ?are evolving? and added: ?I know a number of people on the council feel strongly about making it one of our legislative policies.?

He said: ?There is no question that on a bike you shouldn?t be using a hand-held phone in your hand. That is crazy. People are text messaging and making phone calls. It becomes more murky if you are talking about having the phone in your helmet and speaking while both your hands on the bike ? that is more of a grey area.

?It is something that we really need to explore and then enforce if it is genuinely decided that we will benefit by doing so. We are so densely packed in Bermuda that any distraction is probably a bad thing and so we don?t necessarily have to mimic what happens in Canada or the US.?