A recent police operation in Sydney nabbed 30 drivers talking or texting on mobile phones while — wait for it — driving through school zones.

Obviously, this type of unbelievably irresponsible conduct is not exclusive to big cities like Sydney. It happens everywhere.

Here’s the deal — using a mobile device while driving a motor vehicle is just as serious as drink-driving.

It is not that hard to pick a driver using a mobile, they’re either breaking the speed limit or weaving erratically over the road.

Police across Australia are exasperated by the refusal of many drivers to understand the dangers of distraction.

And it is not young drivers who are the main culprits either.

More than 3000 motorists over the age of 61 have been hit with fines over the past two years for talking or texting on phones while driving, new police figures reveal.

L-platers are also big offenders.

Police say that areas where there is large congestion tend to be hotspots for drivers who can’t resist the temptation to text or call.

But they stress that it does not matter where or when, it is still a serious crime and drivers will be fined heavily if they are caught.

Pedestrians and other road users are also at risk from the practice as drivers take their eyes off the road.

The Pedestrian Council of Australia recently called for tougher sanctions for driving while talking or texting, with the group suggesting that drivers lose their licence for at least three months on the second offence within five years.

That might sound like overkill to some people and fines are quite high as they stand now, but some Australians are clearly not getting the message so something has to be done.

Smartphones are ubiquitous. We use them for pleasure and business, but that doesn’t mean we can’t put them down occasionally — especially if our lives depend on it.