Most of the drivers were holding their phone near their lap when they were caught by a specialised camera on the Northern Distributor Road.

The road-side camera is able to take photos through a vehicle's windscreen and zoom in on anything in the driver's hand.

Two drivers were convicted of using a mobile phone last week and on Monday Lloyd Nyers-Saunders also faced court.

He was photographed while holding his phone near his lap with his thumb on the screen.

The 32-year-old, from Sullivan Circuit, was photographed while driving on the Northern Distributor Road at 1.52pm on March 26.

Nyers-Saunders represented himself in court and said he needed his driver's licence for his job as a mechanic.

"I also help drive a local wine tour business, which helps people not drive under the influence," he said.

Magistrate Lisa Stapleton said photos submitted to the court showed Nyers-Saunders driving along the Northern Distributor Road with the phone in his left hand. She said he appeared to be manipulating the phone with his thumb.

"That's a particularly dangerous looking photograph because I think you can only use your thumb if you are looking at the screen," she said.

She convicted Nyers-Saunders without further penalty. However, she said due to the conviction, the Department of Roads and Transport would take points off his licence and in addition to points he had already lost for speeding, he would likely lose his driver's licence.

However, she reminded him that he could apply for a good-behaviour licence that would leave him with two points.

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