Since December 1st 2003 it has been illegal to drive whilst using a hand held mobile phone, however on March 1st 2017 the penalty increased. Even if you are driving safely, if caught, you could now receive a fine of £200 and 6 penalty points on your driving licence. 6 points would mean losing your licence if you’re less than two years from passing your test and anyone refusing to accept the fixed penalty could result in court proceedings. If found guilty at Court, the fine could be much more than £200 and disqualification from driving is also possible.
The law still applies when you are stopped at traffic lights, queuing in traffic or supervising a learner driver. If you are using hands free, you must stay in full control of your vehicle at all times at all times.
You can only use a hand held mobile phone if you are parked safely, or you need to call 999 in an emergency and it’s unsafe or impractical to stop.
Here at WMB Law, we have a highly experienced and approachable team that have been dealing with motoring law for decades. We can assist you with any motoring cases as well as offering a free 30 minute consultation. We also have a 24/7 emergency call out service if you are arrested. Please do not hesitate to get in touch to speak to a member of our team.