Little known rule could land you with six points and £200 fine

Drivers have been warned of a little-known rule that could land them six points licence and a £200 fine
-Credit: (Image: Nationwide Vehicle Contracts)


Drivers have been warned of a little-known rule that could land them six points on their licence and a £200 fine. Laws around using mobile phones while driving have been strengthened in recent years on the back of research that showed how distracting they can be.

Taking calls, sending messages and posting on social media is all a well-known no-go but there are stricter laws about the use of your phone as a sat-nav. When using your phone for directions, it must be in a fixed position and journeys planned in full before embarking.

But even "illuminating the screen" of your phone is seen as using it in the same way as sending a message or making a call. Mark Tongue, joint CEO of leading vehicle leasing firm Select Van Leasing, said: “You would have to have been living under a rock not to know how seriously the authorities take the offence of driving while using a mobile phone or smart device.

READ MORE: The Scouse and wool debate could be put to bed by an alternative name for people in this region

READ MORE: Woman would rather 'sleep on the streets' after dream turns into 'nightmare'

"There have been numerous campaigns to spread awareness and it does seem that the message is getting through to most people. But there are always some who insist they are above the law and continue to use their phones in extremely dangerous circumstances.

"However, there are also plenty of people who don’t realise that even a quick press on the screen to check the time can land them in trouble. That’s because it is likely to distract them, even for a split second, from concentrating on the road.”

Section 110 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 said: "No person shall drive a motor vehicle on a road if he is using a hand-held mobile telephone."

It continues to state what defines usage which includes "illuminating the screen" and "checking the time". Select Van Leasing found that according to Department for Transport figures, there were 15,300 prosecutions for “using or causing others to use a handheld mobile phone whilst driving” last year.

22 people were killed and 652 people were injured in collisions across the UK where a phone was seen a contributory factor. People will be looking at a £200 fine and six points on their licence if they are caught. This can even extend to a driving ban and £1,000 fine in more serious cases.

Select Van Leasing’s Mr Tongue said: “The message here is to consider your smartphone completely off limits while you are driving. If you do want to use it as a sat-nav, buy a decent holder - which are fairly cheap online - and programme in any routes before you set off, including scheduled stops.

"While it is not against the law to answer a call using a Bluetooth speaker system that most modern cars have, it’s worth remembering that this can also be a distraction. So think whether it is vital to do so and maybe just wait until you reach your destination before calling someone back."