TEHRAN — The 300,000 rials fine (nearly $8) has more than tripled to 100,000 rials (nearly $30) for using handheld devices while driving, the deputy traffic police of Tehran said.

Those who use cell phones and any other handheld communications and entertainment devices as well as hands-free devices while steering a car will face a $30 fine, Hassan Abedi said.

Abedi explained that 32 percent of the collisions are caused by distracted driving as the driver fail to focus on the road and doing something other than keeping their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.

He went on to say that it is illegal for drivers to talk, text, type, dial or email using hand-held and that they are punishable by law.

Drinking, eating, talking to the passengers or arguing with them are of the other causes of losing attention and not focusing on the road, he said, regretting, unfortunately using cellphone is one of the primary reasons of lack of focus while driving.

Research shows that drivers who use cell phones are four times more likely to be in a collision than drivers who focus on the road. And when drivers take their eyes off the road for more than two seconds, their crash risk doubles.

MQ/MG