A total of 6,929 drivers were slapped with a fine in the first five months of this year for using a mobile phone while driving, figures tabled in parliament on Monday revealed. 

Of these, 4,057 were caught by LESA officials, while another 2,143 were caught by police officers. 

Another 701 were fined by Transport Malta officials and 28 drivers were caught by CCTV footage. 

The figures were provided by Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri, in reply to a parliamentary question by PL MP Amanda Spiteri Grech. 

The number of traffic mobile phone contraventions has increased drastically over the past five years.

According to the figures tabled on Monday, in 2022 a total of 14,118 such fines were issued. A total of 12,403 were issued in 2021.

Up until May, motorists were fined €100 when caught using their mobile phone while driving. 

A revision of contraventions has doubled the fine to €200, and drivers can end up having nine penalty points on their licence. The revised contraventions were first unveiled in February by the Transport Minister as part of a broader plan to improve road safety, following a record 26 traffic fatalities in 2022.

The figures also show how many people were fined for not wearing a seatbelt - a contravention that lands drivers a €46.59 fine.

Last year, a total of 7,847 were fined for failing to wear a seatbelt.

In the first five months of this year, 10,452 people were fined for not wearing one.

A total of 20,000 drivers were caught ignoring traffic signs between January and May of this year. 

Replying to another parliamentary question, Camilleri said that 214,023 fines for excessive speeding were issued via the use of handheld speed guns and fixed cameras from 2019 to the end of May this year. 

Last year, a Times of Malta exercise found that the vast majority of vehicles speed over the limit established by law. Using a speed gun, Times of Malta took a total of 120 measurements at six locations: three arterial roads, a road construction area, a country road, and a residential street.

A total of 90 vehicles were found to be speeding, while 30 vehicles were found to be driving at or under the speed limit. A speed gun, calibrated before the exercise, was used to measure vehicle velocity.