UK drivers face £200 fine in mobile phone clampdown measures | road safety

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Drivers will be banned from swiping playlists on mobile devices from next year as part of the British government’s campaign on road safety.

The Department of Transportation (DfT) has announced that it plans to strengthen laws from next year to make it easier to prosecute drivers who use and grab their phones.

Under current UK laws, drivers are prohibited from texting or making a phone call (other than in an emergency) while using a hand-held device. From 2022, drivers will not be allowed to take photos or videos, scroll through playlists, or play games on their phones while driving.

Anyone caught using their mobile device while driving will face a notice of a fixed fine of £200 and six points on their licence.

Drivers can still use devices such as satellites and cell phones that use satellite navigation, if they are secured in a cradle.

But motorists must take responsibility for their own driving and can be prosecuted if police find they are not in proper control of their vehicle.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “By making it easier to prosecute people who illegally use their phones while driving, we are ensuring the law is brought into the 21st century with greater protections for all road users.

“While our roads remain among the safest in the world, we will continue to work tirelessly to make them even safer, including through our award-winning THINK! which challenges social norms among high-risk drivers.”

The campaign follows a public consultation that found 81% of respondents support proposals to strengthen the law.

The Highway Code will also be revised to clarify that driving and using a handheld phone at traffic lights or in highway jams is illegal except in very limited circumstances.

Mary Williams, chief executive of road safety charity Brake, said the changes, which coincided with Road Safety Week, were “most welcome”.

Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “By making mobile phone use as socially unacceptable as driving under the influence, we are taking major steps to make our roads safer. For years, the AA has campaigned seriously and helped educate drivers about the dangers of poor mobile phone use.

“To help ensure the message gets through to drivers, we also need more cops in cars to help catch and deter those who still tend to ride.”

Simon Williams, a RAC road safety spokesperson, said: “As our phones have become more sophisticated, the law has not kept pace and this has allowed some drivers using their cell phones for purposes other than communication to exploit a loophole and avoid the maximum penalty.

“While today’s announcement is clearly good news, it is critical that the new law is strictly enforced or else there is a risk that it will not lead to a change in behavior that will make our roads safer.”

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