40% of drivers name hand-held mobile phone use as one of their top 4 road safety concerns.
Drivers must not text, make calls, play games, scroll through playlists, take photos or videos, or browse the web while driving. An offence is triggered whenever a driver holds and uses a device, regardless of why they are holding it.
It is illegal to hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send or receive data while driving. If caught doing so, drivers can face fines of up to £1,000, receive 6 points on their licence, or a full driving ban.
Did you know:
- Mobile devices are a major distraction but they are not the only one.
- Distractions can include eating, drinking, setting satnav, radios etc – anything that takes your eyes off the road or distracts your concentration on driving.
- Distraction is a major cause of collisions with drivers 4 times more likely to be in a crash if using a mobile device (even hands free).
Best practice tips:
- If using hands-free devices, make sure they are fully set up before starting to drive.
- Only use hands-free devices when you are happy it is safe to do so.
- Always ensure a clear view of the windscreen and road ahead.
- Do not hold or interact with a mobile device while driving.
- Where possible, switch mobile phones to a form of safe-driving mode e.g. silent mode or switched off.
- Using a mobile phone for navigation is legal, as long as it is kept in a cradle and not in the driver’s hand.