- Do you call or text people when you know they are driving?
- Do you accept calls while you are driving?
- Do you call other people while you are driving?
The true cost of using a mobile phone whilst driving can be huge! Think about the little boy who could step out in the road in front of you, the driver of the car you don’t see, your mate spending the rest of her life in a wheelchair because of your actions. Is it really so important to make the call?
Using a mobile phone while driving is not acceptable.
As well as putting your own, and other people’s lives at risk, you also risk a fixed penalty of £60 and three penalty points on your licence. If you’ve been driving for less than two years and get caught twice then you could lose your licence!
If you call someone and they are driving, ask them to call you back when they reach their destination – you don’t want to be responsible for causing them to crash!
When can you use a mobile phone in the car?
If you have a hand-held mobile you should only ever use it in the car:
- To call 999 in an emergency where it is unsafe or impractical to stop.
- When safely parked with the engine switched off.
- When you are a passenger.
What about other mobile devices?
Using other mobile devices for sending or receiving data while driving is also an offence, this includes Blackberries and PDAs with mobile phones incorporated.
How can a police officer prove that I was on the phone?
If you drive poorly and a police officer stops you for poor driving, if it goes to court your phone records can be checked to determine whether you were using your phone.
Don’t be distracted – give the road your full attention.
Think! – Switch off advert