Road cameras have captured 50,000 drivers getting distracted by their mobile phones in Auckland in just two months.
That's 800 a day and more than one in 100 of us are guilty of it despite it being an offence.
While it's only a trial for now, fines appear inevitable.
It's an offence for drivers to use their mobiles while driving - but many of us can't help ourselves.
"It is hard, it is hard, but I'm trying, can't take your life for granted cos you never know what's going to happen," one person told Newshub.
"I remind people because I can ride up next to them, just kind of say 'do you mind paying attention' because it's people like me that get hit cos you're on your phone and you're not paying attention," another person said.
In fact, in the first two months of a six-month trial that began in May, more than 50,000 potential mobile phone use offences were detected at three locations - that's 800 a day.
More than 1 percent of the 4 million vehicles travelling through the camera sites in the first two months.
Using your phone while driving has been been an offence for 18 years and will get you 20 demerit points.
Last year, the Government doubled the fine to $150 after nearly two dozen people died and 70 were seriously injured between 2015 and 2019 because they were distracted by their phones.
"I'm sending a very clear message that using your phone while driving is unacceptable," Transport Minister Michael Wood said.
The AA's road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen said despite the deterrents we're more addicted than ever because now the phone's not just for calls, it rules our lives.
"It distracts you, it reduces your mental focus on driving and if you're at the wrong place at the wrong time and suddenly something happens that might mean an extra second or two before you can slam on the brakes and that could be critical," Thomsen said.
At the moment it's just a trial and there are privacy issues to clear up, but down the track the traffic cam snaps will inevitably lead to fines.
"If the laws were to change which we are advocating for then it can be used as a means to issue infringements - because ultimately it's about making sure that we change driver behaviour and stop them from using their cellphones while driving," director of land transport at Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Kane Parena said.
There's one sure way to curb the driver distraction that contributes to nearly 8 percent of all crashes where someone's killed, that's simply to turn off your phone or toss it in the glove box or onto the back seat.
