29/07/2011: Phones and Driving Safety

The penalty for using a hand-held mobile phone whilst driving is currently a minimum of £60 (up to £1,000.00) and THREE PENALTY POINTS added to the drivers licence.

The law states that a phone is to be treated as hand-held if it is held at some point during the course of making or receiving a call, or performing any other interactive communication function such as sending or receiving texts.

The only applicable exemption would be:-

Using a hand-held phone for a genuine emergency call to 999 or 112 if it would be unsafe for the driver to stop.

Your vehicle must be stationary with the engine switched off before you can use your hand-held mobile for any other reason.

Managers requesting their staff to use a hand-held phone whilst driving would be committing an offence of "causing or permitting "a driver to use a hand-held phone while driving. Managers should therefore avoid making calls to staff who may be driving and who do not have a hands free kit and staff should ensure that they do not answer any calls until it is safe to do so.

HANDS FREE MOBILE PHONES

If you do need to make a call using the "hands free" you should ensure that the call is short and any long or detailed calls are made when the vehicle is stationary and engine switched off. However drivers should note that the existing law requires drivers to be in proper control of their vehicle, as careless or dangerous driving laws can be applied to driving while using a hands-free phone, if the police believe the nature of the driving warrants it.

For additional safety if tyres needs changing ensure you make any mobile calls whislt stood away from the road as being on the phone next to moving vehicles could jeopardise your safety.

Please ensure that you comply with the law.

image source: mobilephonereviews.org