Using Apple Pay At Drive-Thrus Could Get You Six Points And £200 Fine

Here's one to watch out for - people using their phone at the wheel to pay at drive-thrus could be given six points and a £200 fine.

The rules also state that using Apple Pay or Google Pay at drive-thru restaurants mean new drivers could receive an instant ban.

This applies if they are caught using their phone at the wheel in any situation - for people who have had their licence for less than two years, the points allowance is only six points.

Driver awareness courses to avoid fines or points are also not offered to first time offenders and the £200 can be increased to up to £1,000 if the case goes to court.

PA

Twitter users were shocked after believing the common misconception that because fast food restaurants are on private land that the Road Traffic Act doesn't apply. Spoiler: it does.

When one Twitter user asked the police if he could still use his smartphone to pay at a drive-thru, Great Manchester Police confirmed the information.

They replied: "If your engine is off and your handbrake applied and you're parked yes. If your engine is on no."

Penalty fines first came in to effect in 2003 when drivers could face up to a £30 fine - this was raised to £60 in 2007 when you could also three penalty points.

By 2013 the fine had risen to £100 but there had been no radical reduction in the number of people using their phones while driving. This doubled in March 2018 to a potential six points and £200 fine.

It's not just using your phone that can cause issues for drivers - the rules also include vaping.

According to RAC, drivers could face the same penalty as they would if they were caught on a mobile phone.

PA

Police have said that in certain circumstances vaping behind the wheel is against the law and could see drivers receive three, six or nine points on their licence, or in some severe cases, a driving ban.

They could also face a fine of up to £2,500 ($3,200).

Although vaping itself is not illegal, the main concerns for police including the volume of smoke produced when vaping obscuring a driver's view of the road and the potential to distract drivers causing them to pay less attention.

Topics: UK News, Driving, Cars

Amelia Ward

Amelia is a journalist at LADbible. After studying journalism at Liverpool John Moores and Salford Uni (don't ask), she went into PR and then the world of music. She spent a few years working on festivals and events before joining LADbible. In her spare time, Amelia likes music and spending good, quality time with her cat, Paul. You can contact Amelia at [email protected].

@ameliasward