Mobile Phone Penalties

Mobile Phone Penalties

Endorsable Fixed Penalty Notices (issued by the police at the time of the offence. You will have to give up your licence at the scene (or within 7 days) for it to be endorsed, as well as pay the fine) have risen from £60 to £100.

Using a hand held phone when driving is illegal. If you are caught it is 3 penalty points and a £100 fine. This is an automatic fine. Using a hand held phone when supervising a learner driver is also illegal.

If the police or driver decide to bring the case to court instead of a fixed penalty notice, the maximum fine is £1000  (£2500 for van, lorry, buses or coach drivers.)
An employer can get prosecuted if they cause or permit an employee to drive while using a mobile phone or if the employee is not in control of the vehicle. If the employer requires the employee to make or receive calls whilst driving.

Hands-free equipment

Hands-free equipment is not prohibited by the new regulation. Pushing buttons when the phone is in the cradle or on the steering wheel is not covered by the new offence, provided you do not hold the phone. However hands-free equipment is distracting and you risk prosecution for failing to have proper control of the vehicle if you are using it or have an accident.

As a new driver you are only allowed 6 points on your driving licence in the first two years. If you get 6 points your licence is revoked by the DVLA. It means you have to re-apply for a provisional licence pass your theory test and pass your driving test. This is also called revocation.

Police

Greater Manchester Police deploys 3 Smartcars across the region to film motorists who are using a hand held mobile phone while driving. The camera technology is very effective, and the quality of evidence is excellent. Between 500-700 offences are recorded every day.

It is very difficult to defend a case when a police officer or PCSO are giving evidence that they saw you using a mobile phone.