In 2015, GNR road patrols caught nearly 29,000 people who were driving along, chatting away on their mobile phones.
This was an increase of almost 30% compared to the previous year and represents a mass rejection of a driving law designed to prevent accidents.
Major Marco Cruz of the GNR said that "people have no real perception of the seriousness of using their phone while driving."
"The risk factors are clear," Cruz added, claiming that despite the increase, "more targeted campaigns and assertive action from the GNR has contributed to reducing the number of victims."
Cruz said that using a phone while driving turns a young person's reactions in to those of a 70-year-old.
The new data show that 31% of drivers write and send text messages while driving, a practice that puts lives at risk as driving and use a mobile phone impairs the attention and reflexes of drivers.
In fact, talking on a mobile phone while driving increases the likelihood of having an accident by 23 times.
