Phone driving laws – Fine increases not enough to deter drivers

From March 1st 2017, the fine for using your mobile phone while driving increased from £100 to £200 and three to six penalty points. 

Under the new rules drivers who have held their licence for less than two years will face an immediate ban from driving. 

The higher punishments were introduced in a bid to deter drivers from using their phones illegally behind the wheel. 

However, it has emerged that almost a fifth of motorists are still illegally using their phone while driving.

A poll of 1,500 of UK drivers commissioned by Co-op Insurance found that 16 per cent of Britons used their mobile while driving.

Of those polled 18 per cent of offenders said they were responding to emails while 23 per cent were browsing Facebook. 

James Hillon, head of products at Co-op Insurance, said: “We’ve welcomed the penalty change as we believe that anything that may lead to safer roads and thus communities in the UK can only be a good thing.

“However, it’s still concerning that since the law change on 1st March, a sixth of drivers have used their phones whilst driving.

“Using a mobile phone whilst driving can seriously impact a motorist’s ability to drive safely, so we’d strongly advise drivers to lock their phones away in glove compartments when driving.”

Twenty-two people were killed and 99 seriously injured in accidents on Britain’s roads in 2015 where a motorist using a mobile was a contributory factor, latest figures show.

Mike Bristow, spokesman for road safety charity Brake, said: “We’ve seen first-hand the devastation caused by people who kill and seriously injure because they couldn’t wait a few more moments to make a phone call or respond to a text.

“For that reason, we would urge all drivers to ignore their phones when driving.”

If your case goes to court, you could face disqualification and an up to a £1,000 fine. 

HGV and bus drivers could get an up to £2,500 fine. 

Drivers may still use a hands free system but the police can still pull you over if they believe it is distracting you. 

The same goes for phones being used for navigation and maps services.