Data from NSW Revenue showed 22 people were fined for mobile phone infringements in Orange in 2017-18 compared with 32 in 2016-17, 61 in 2015-16, and 109 in 2014-15.

Orange Driving School’s Graham Kidson said high rates of mobile phone usage among young drivers and tradies continued to pose a challenge despite the reduction in the number of offences.

“Most young people speak all the time on the phone, they don’t use bluetooth devices fitted to their cars,” Mr Kidson said.

“Trades people also use mobile phones probably to attend calls from their clients.”

Orange saw a sharp decline in seatbelt-related offences from 167 in 2014-15 to just 15 in 2017-18  

According to the driving instructor seatbelt infractions were a rarity for a simple reason.

“Seatbelt offences have come down because wearing seatbelts has become a habit over the years,” Mr Kidson explained.

Most Central West cities and towns also recorded drops in the number of seatbelt and mobile phone offences, with one exception.

Dubbo was the only city which registered a slight increase in the crime categories.

A total of 17 people were issued penalty notices for violating seatbelt norms in Dubbo in 2017-18 compared with 14 in 2016-17, 10 in 2015-16, and 12 in 2014-15.

Similarly, a total of 26 motorists were fined for mobile phone infringements in 2017-18 compared with just 11 in 2016-17, 14 in 2015-16 and 15 in 2014-15.