3 points and ?60 fine for using phone while driving

[.....]

Some good news.

https://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/advice/mobilephones.htm

Mobile phones and driving don't mix

Mobile phones have many benefits. They provide security and can be a great help in an emergency. But tests have shown a driver cannot help being distracted by a phone call or text message. If you are distracted, you will not register hazards or react quickly. A conversation on a hands-free phone is no less distracting than using a hand-held one.

Points on your licence

It is illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone when driving and the penalties are going up. From 27 February 2007 you will receive a £60 fine and three penalty points on your licence[1]. Points can mean higher insurance costs.

You don't have to be caught many times to be disqualified. If you get just six points in the first two years after passing your test, you will lose your licence under the New Drivers Act.

You can also be prosecuted for using a hands-free mobile phone if you are not in proper control of your vehicle. The penalties will be the same as for using a hand-held phone. And the penalties for driving carelessly or dangerously when using any phone can include disqualification, a large fine and up to two years imprisonment.

Why are the penalties going up?

* Surveys show that over 90% of respondents say it should be illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving. But surveys also show that more than 25% of drivers admit to doing it[2].
* It is hard to do two things at once and research has shown that if you are using your mobile phone while driving you are four times more likely to have a crash.
* In fact if you use any type of mobile phone (hands-free or hand-held) while driving, your reaction times are worse than if you drive under the influence of alcohol.
Tests have shown that reaction times for drivers using a hand-held phone were 30% worse than for driving while drunk. They were nearly 50% worse than when driving under normal conditions[3].

This is all reflected in the growing number of news stories about serious accidents caused by drivers who were not able to concentrate on the road, because they were using a mobile phone.

How does the law apply?

While driving, you will be breaking the law if you pick up or use any type of phone that is, or must be, held to operate it. For example, this means you may not use your mobile phone:

* when you are stopped at traffic lights;
* when you are queuing in traffic;
* to receive calls, pictures, text messages or to access the Internet.

If you are an employer, you can be prosecuted if you require employees to make or receive calls while driving.

Are there any exceptions?

* Yes - a driver may call 999 or 112 in response to a genuine emergency when it is unsafe or impractical to stop to make the call.
* Two-way radios are not covered by this offence but other devices for sending or receiving data are included if they are held while driving (eg. Personal Digital Assistants).

The best advice is to switch off before you drive off

* When driving you should use voicemail, a message service or call diversion so you can pick up messages later.
* Only use your phone after you have stopped in a safe place. But never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency.
* Avoid taking calls even on a hands-free phone while driving. They can be just as distracting. If you must answer, say you are driving and end the conversation. Otherwise you will put yourself and other road users at risk.

We are all responsible for safety on the roads. If you make a call to someone and realise they are driving, stop the call and arrange to speak to them later. You cannot see the hazards or judge the road conditions while you're talking to a driver. And you wouldn't want to distract the driver if you were in the car.

THINK! Switch off before you drive off.

One of my pet hates when I'm out on the bike - 9/10 times when you see someone wandering all over the road in their cars they are on the phone. Hopefully people will take the threat of points on their licenses seriously.

[Nb]

About time too. I can spot some twat on a mobile from a mile off normally by their standard of driving.
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[.....]

[Louise]

Ive seen a few pulled for driving whilst on the phone. But thats a few since its been inforced.
About time too, I see people every day still on the phone.

[Villers]

Its an issue all round really isnt it. People tend to just pull over anywhere they deem suitable to take a call and block the roads round here, its a right pain in the yaris.

Theres a story in our local rag from last week where some bloke was prosecuted for riding his pushbike with his mobile pressed to his ear with one hand and a bag of chips in the other!!
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[0ddball]

Should be an instant ban imo. The chance of getting caught is so low and the punishment so trivial that nobody takes any notice of the law.

Some things like slightly speeding is an easy mistake to make but there is simply no phone call so important that someone can't park up for 2 mins to take it.

[Mudskipper]

Still see loads driving through town with phone clamped to their ear.

Worst are lorry drivers manoevering through tight city junctions one-handed Retards.

Hope it works and makes people think twice - though not having other effects - once saw someone pulled up on a blind corner on a busy one-way system, assumed they'd broken down, but no, they had stopped to take a call, then casually resumed their journey.

When will people understand how dangerous it is? A lass I knew tried text messaging while driving, resulted in her wrapping the car around a tree. Luckily she walked away, and didn't injure anyone else.
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[doodlebug]

Isnt it abit silly they're saying using a hands free can be just as distracting? Only as distracting as talking to a passenger in your car, are they going to ban that aswell? No. This county just seems to get worse!
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ESSEX - Come for the sandy beaches, Stay for the self-obsessed money grabbing b!tches

[.....]

[Blackrhythms]

They brought in the points system, for using a mobile while driving, here in the Republic late last year. Still see people doing it though, but a lot of people have also been caught.
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[Nb]

[sickpup]

[wikiwiki]

i think it may be better if these nasty pole mounted cameras could catch some people on their phones because i don't know whether cops would bother with getting out of their car and "doing the do", i think they would, on the whole just tell them to put it away.

With the cameras it's just black or white, "on the phone?, right, BUSTED!"

i'm just a cynic.

[Mister James]

They do need to investigate better means of enforcement. I would say that at least 25% of cars on my way to and from work are driven by people using mobile phones - and while I suppose their driving could be utter turd all the time, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that it is the use of the phone that brings them down.

I have seen police cars on around 5% of my journeys on the A312, and have never seen them pull anyone over for arse driving. While I'm sure they may well do so when I am not around, the ratio of turd drivers/nickings is unacceptably high.
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[Ste]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Personally I think the law was fine as it was before the ban was brought in. Drive with your brain on the phone and you could get done for driving without due care and attention.

Now we just have a simple to enforce law, irrespective of whether any hazard is caused.

Technically you could get done for using the phone with the car engine running but stuck in a traffic jam with no hope of moving for ages and thus needing to say you will be late.

All the best

Keith
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[bandit girl]

[ColdInsomnia]

Saw some white van man on the phone earlier pulling up to a junction that I was approaching. I saw that he was on the phone and slowed to a crawl, though he didn't pull out and looked straight at me thank god.

I made the "phone" signal, followed by the "pleasure yourself" signal.

He replied with a

Then police drove past



But I guess they didn't see him Could have been perfect.
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[jimbothe]

So is it illegal to use a bluetooth headset while driving then as i have seen countless people using them and still losing concentration on even the simplist of road tasks
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[Finglonga]

[kawakid]

I have driven in the past with a mobile to my ear. Going back a few years ago now.

But i've seen the errors of my ways.

Nothing frightens me more than white van man on the phone.

Saw some twxt driving through the town centre kids crossing etc, whilst engaged on the phone.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[intrudersteve]

I spent years picking up the mess after people had lost concentration on he road while playing with CD's Radio's and now Phones............

I'll say just this to those who think there skills are up to the challenge.

How would you like to pull a pregnant women from under a car and just when you think you've finished get asked " Wheres Milly " her two year old !

The driver was an advanced driver with 20 years experience !...ON THE PHONE AND TAPPING AWAY TO HIS MUSIC !


I once pulled a guy out of his car after he rear ended a Volvo !.......Why ?.......He said I was laughing so much I didnt see him stop........Listening to the Radio !

So we do need as few distractions as possible, and as for Sat Nav ! I got hit buy one on the M25 the other day as a frustrated motorist throght it out of the window because it had sent him the wrong way !

Point being we dont need extra things in modern life to distract us so when you get in your cars leave the toy's behind.......and if you have to use Sat Nav !....listen to it dont watch its little screen !

I think I had better lay down no
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Space !.......Its Big Man!

[Finglonga]

[Bishbash]

Good, Good, Good, Good, Good, Good, Good, Good, Good.

I hate people who drive whilst on the phone. As stated in a previous post it should be a instant ban. It drives me mad seeing cars swerving all over the road.

[JonB]