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Drivers Face £200 Fine And Six Points For Touching Mobile Phone

Drivers Face £200 Fine And Six Points For Touching Mobile Phone

The government is installing hi-tech cameras to catch out motorists

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

UK drivers could face a fine of up to £200 ($260) if they so much as touch their phone while driving a car.

That's because state-of-the-art HD traffic cameras are to be installed in Britain to catch people doing exactly that.

Obviously, you shouldn't be touching your phone whilst you're driving anyway, so if you're not doing that, then you'll be fine.

However, government ministers are looking at closing a loophole in the law that currently allows drivers to get away with using their mobile phones to pick tunes, take photographs or film.

PA

If you use a mobile phone as a sat nav, you might still be OK, though. If the phone is in a holder and you don't touch it to change route or whatever while you are driving.

Of course, there are existing laws that cover sat nav driving. If you're caught driving while distracted by anything - whether that is a sat nav or not - you can still be fined.

So, under these new rules, if you're caught with your phone in your hand you'll get six penalty points added to your licence and a fine of up to £200.

In the not-so-distant past, the Department for Transport refused to ban hands free devices, despite opposition from MPs. They have, however, decided to crack down on anyone using their hands to control a device.

That's where the cameras come in.

PA

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that the law will bring the UK 'into the 21st century'.

He added: "We recognise that staying in touch with the world while travelling is an essential part of modern-day life but we are also committed to making our roads safe."

The department hopes the law will be in place by next spring.

The chairperson of the transport select committee, Lilian Greenwood, said: "The Government's decision to accept our recommendation to tighten up the law around the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving is great news.

"The difference between interactive communications and stand-alone functions on our phones is a loophole that has prevented police from prosecuting drivers who continue to use their phones behind the wheel and put themselves and other road users at risk."

PA

Nick Lloyd, spokesperson for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, added: "Drivers who use their phones are up to four times more likely to crash.

"We highlighted this loophole in the summer and are delighted that such prompt action is being taken to ensure that all hand-held mobile phone use is to be prohibited.

"MPs had wanted the DfT to ban hands-free calls after evidence showed they can be just as distracting as picking up a phone.

"But the Government said it wanted to examine existing evidence about the risks of hands-free use and consider what a ban on hands-free would actually look like."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: UK News, Interesting, Technology, Cars