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Drivers holding a mobile phone at the wheel even when stationary will soon be prosecuted by police in a new bid to strengthen road safety laws.
Anyone caught out using their mobile phone will face a £200 penalty and six point deduction on their license.
Motorists will still be allowed to use their mobiles in a ‘hands free’ capacity, such as sat-nav if it is secured in a holding device.
However, the UK Government warns that police can charge drivers with an offence if they are not to be in “proper control of their vehicle”.
The Highway Code will be updated in accordingly, making it clear that being stationary at traffic lights or traffic jams still qualifies as driving.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Current laws make it illegal to text or make calls while driving other than in an emergency.
Using a mobile phone whilst in stationary in traffic is illegal with “very limited” circumstances.
However, drivers making contactless payments while their cars are not moving will be exempt from the law, such as when paying at a drive-thru restaurant or road toll.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Too many deaths and injuries occur while mobile phones are being held.
“By making it easier to prosecute people illegally using their phone at the wheel, we are ensuring the law is brought into the 21st century while further protecting all road users.
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“While our roads remain among the safest in the world, we will continue working tirelessly to make them safer, including through our award-winning THINK! campaign, which challenges social norms among high-risk drivers.”
The strengthened regulations follow a public consultation in which 81 percent of respondents supported proposals to strengthen the law and make it easier for offenders to be prosecuted.
Mary Williams OBE, Chief Executive of road safety charity Brake, said: “Driver distraction can be deadly and using a hand-held phone at the wheel is never worth the risk.
“This important road safety decision by government, coinciding with Road Safety Week, is very welcomed.”
The Department for Transport also published a study today by Ipsos Mori about drivers who use mobile phones while driving.
The study found younger motorists are more likely to have used a handheld device at the wheel.
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