More than 3,000 motorists have been caught driving without wearing seat belts, talking on mobile phones or breaking speed limits at police checkpoints in the past year.

Police carried out 118 two-hour road side checks across Oxfordshire and spotted the one motorist breaking the law roughly every four minutes, new figures reveal.

The motorists have been branded irresponsible by police for ignoring safety advice, while campaign groups have appealed for fines to be increased – from £30 for not wearing a seat belt and from £60 for using a mobile phone – to £1,000.

Road checks spotted 1,637 motorists without a seat belt, 353 behind the wheel on their mobile phones and 1,459 speeding during the so-called Operation Pride in the 12 months to September.

Police and Oxfordshire County Council have run the crackdown for the past three years, but this is the first time they have released annual figures.

It became compulsory to wear seatbelts 25 years ago and traffic officer Pc Mark Pilling was frustrated that such large numbers of motorists continued ignoring that law, as well as breaking the speed limit or continuing to drive while using mobile telephones.

Pc Pilling said: “These people are irresponsible to themselves and their families. If something happens to them and they are seriously injured and killed then their families will suffer financially and emotionally for years.

“In an ideal situation I would be standing by the side of the road at these checks and everyone going past would be wearing seat belts and not on their phones. Sadly, that’s not happening at the moment.”

Anyone caught without a seat belt is fined and then offered road safety advice. Speeding drivers and those on mobile phone receive a fine and three penalty points.

Pc Pilling added there were a few drivers who had been spotted flouting all three laws: speeding while chatting on their mobiles and not belted in.

Hot-spots included the A40 at Sunderland Avenue, in Oxford, where 215 were caught without a seat belt, and 36 drivers were using their mobiles, and North Bar Street in Banbury, where 116 drivers were seen not using seatbelts and 25 were caught using their mobiles at the wheel.

County council roads safety officer Sarah Gniadek-Pitt said: “To change behaviour we need enforcement and education. I feel we do get through to people and when they drive away, many will comply.”

Thames Valley Police does not see a penny of the fines. That goes to the Government.

However road safety groups claim the current approach is not working, and so are calling for bigger fines and better education for all new drivers.

Cathy Keeler, head of campaigns at safety charity Brake, demanded the £60 standard fine to be increased to £1,000.

She added: “We would like all fixed penalty fines raised to something that’s actually going to make a difference to the pockets of someone who can afford to drive."”

Brigitte Chaudhry, founder and honorary president of safety group Roadpeace, said: “More than 3,000 people caught shows education obviously is not working."”

Wearing seat belts has been compulsory since 1983 and it became an endorsable offence to be caught using a mobile phone at the wheel in February last year.

Operation Pride stop checks are being held at least once a week across county.