Tougher penalties for using mobile phones when driving

Drivers caught using handheld mobile phones in Britain are to face "much tougher penalties", with fines and points doubling, the government says.
Under new rules expected to come in next year, drivers will get six points on their licence and face a £200 fine.
Newly qualified drivers could be made to retake their test the first time they are caught.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37389800

About time imo

[denphone]

Indeed l agree but the problem is there is nobody around to catch the culprits and enforce the law so l can still see quite a few of these drivers continuing to do it sadly.

[adzii_nufc]

That's just like speeding or driving without insurance, licence or road tax. The odds are all the same on being caught. Luckily all those that are caught are in the frame of mind that it'll never happen to them.

It's pretty great when they get caught by an unmarked car though. Seen exactly this yesterday

Seems a bit extreme really, I dont see how its twice as serious as other offences, and as pointed out above, largely unenforced anyway. I see people on the phone every day.

[Ken W]

Originally Posted by Paul M

Seems a bit extreme really, I dont see how its twice as serious as other offences, and as pointed out above, largely unenforced anyway. I see people on the phone every day.

Just don't use a hands free mobile while driving then you will not worry about the 6 points and the £200 fine.

[deadite66]

Charity blasts 8,600 'selfish, irresponsible and potentially deadly' drivers still on the road despite racking up 12 points or more

Whats the point if the judges won't enforce the law.

Originally Posted by Ken W

Just don't use a hands free mobile while driving then you will not worry about the 6 points and the £200 fine.

I think you mean *do* use hands free ?

(I dont know why you think I would be worried, I've had H/F built into my cars for years, long before any laws existed).

Originally Posted by deadite66

Charity blasts 8,600 'selfish, irresponsible and potentially deadly' drivers still on the road despite racking up 12 points or more

Whats the point if the judges won't enforce the law.

The judges are enforcing the law ,it's the law itself that is failing .The law allows exceptions to a ban it's that exception that needs to be removed then the magistrates won't have it as a sentencing option

[Ken W]

Originally Posted by Paul M

I think you mean *do* use hands free ?

(I dont know why you think I would be worried, I've had H/F built into my cars for years, long before any laws existed).

Opps my typo.

[Hom3r]

If caught the police should seize your car and make you walk.

sod 6 point, it should be a mandatory 12 points and 2 year ban £2,000 fine.

Then made to take the full extended driving tests.

No hard ship pleas should be considered as it's been illegal since 2008 to hold a phone while driving.

Kill someone it should be a life ban.

[Osem]

I have no problem with this but when you look at many new cars you'll see a plethora of buttons, menus driven screens etc. all of which are more than capable of taking one's mind off the actual driving for long enough to be a potential problem.

Responsibility is what's key here (as it is with drink/drug driving) but seeing how so many young people, especially, appear virtually umbilically linked to their phones and unable to resist any notification, I think it's going to take a long while before the message gets through.

The biggest issue i have is people who text and drive ,there is absolutely no need for it .Texting takes a lot more concentration off the road than simply talking to a hands free system and i have to say it's mostly women i see doing it ,9 times out of 10 if i'm stopped at the traffic lights and a woman is next to me she will have a phone on her lap

[Osem]

Originally Posted by martyh

The biggest issue i have is people who text and drive ,there is absolutely no need for it .Texting takes a lot more concentration off the road than simply talking to a hands free system and i have to say it's mostly women i see doing it ,9 times out of 10 if i'm stopped at the traffic lights and a woman is next to me she will have a phone on her lap

Well that's because she'll have a coffee or bowl of museli in her hands...

Truth is that people tend to be far too blase about driving and do things which are potentially dangerous when they ought to be concentrating on the road ahead. I'm not sure if it's a local trait but the number of people I see driving around with dogs on their laps, dashboards or otherwise roaming around in the front of their cars is staggering.

[Hom3r]

Mine is 100% hands free, all I need to do is set the phone to Car Mode before I set off.

I tell it to call "X" and location it calls them

I can say "answer" or "reject" when I get a call.

Texts are read or I can say what I want to say and it types it.

All 100% hands free, I can even set the Phones SatNav by voice.

[Arthurgray50@blu]

there has been a law out for several years but the police wont enforce it.

I drive to work each day using the Twickenham Road onto the A4. I must see at least 40 DRIVERS blatantly using phones at the wheel.

If they put a copper at the top of my road that leads to Twickenham Road. They would get loads of them.


Its no point in bringing out this law UNLESS it is enforced. They should give powers to Traffic Wardens to do this. As simply the police don't have enough time to do this. Unless they actually see happening.