Just posting this for tho's who hasn't heard about it, £60 fine and 3 penalty points on ye licence for usin ur phone behind the wheel


"Stricter penalties for using hand-held mobile phones while at the wheel have come into effect.

The fixed-penalty fine for offenders is doubling from £30 to £60 and, for the first time, those caught using hand-held mobiles will get three penalty points on their licence.

Courts will have the powers to give a maximum fine of £1,000 or £2,500 in the case of a driver of a bus, coach or goods vehicle. Offenders could even be disqualified from driving.

The AA said the new measures "paled into significance" compared with the threat ofjail for causing a fatal crash while using a mobile. It added that too few motorists had made the connection between using a mobile and prison terms handed down by courts for causing death by dangerous driving.

Meredydd Hughes, Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) roads policing spokesman, said: "It's important to remember that 77,000 people have already been fined for driving whilst using their mobile phones, a figure that highlights this offence is policed robustly. Driving whilst using a mobile phone is not acceptable and these penalties will hopefully deter those who think they are above the law."

The AA said employers needed to impose stricter rules and safer communications for employees on the road, not only to protect against the stricter measures taking effect today but to avoid facing charges themselves.

Surveys have found lorry and van drivers to be twice as likely to break the mobile phone law as car drivers.

Meanwhile, drivers face random breath-tests under Government proposals to curb drink-driving. A review of road safety strategy published by the Department for Transport (DfT) said it would start consulting on the move this year.

While keeping the blood-alcohol limit under review, the DfT feels that the most effective way of tackling drink-driving is through tougher enforcement.

It has already indicated to police that criminal motoring offences should be "treated as such" and welcomed an increase in breath-tests during Christmas 2006. That rise was matched by a fall in drink-related accidents, according to the Government's road safety strategy review."



Msn news

Personally I think the phones should be confiscated when someone is caught using them behind the wheel, and then either destroyed or recycled. Its the only way to get people to stop using them.

Im certainly not saying I never have answered a phone whilst driving without a handsfree kit, and that I never will again, but I think its something that the government should come down tough on. Nowadays I do try to use a handsfree kit whenever I am in the car.

It's a good idea, but destroying them would lead to a lot of harmful waste, and recycling them could benifit poorer countries, but the whole idea could be time and cost consuming.

Fines and penalty points are a step in the right direction, and hopefully more won't have to be done to crack down further.

I always pull over or get Izzy to answer the phone when I'm driving, or if im really stuck, put it on loudspeaker and put my phone on the dash

Joe, people arnt going to listen to fines and points, especially the posh know £50,000 Merc drivers and the like who think they have a god given right to use their phones handheld whilst driving.

Start taking the phones off people and suddenly it wont happen. Nobody wants to lose their phone, especially contract ones that can cost hundreds to replace...

i never go anywhere without my bluetooth ear piece, and put my phone straight in a cradle when i get in my car or wagon, but dont always anwer it anyway unless gail or a family member. but even with this law, its illegal to hold the phone and make a call whilst driving but if its handsfree and the phone is in a cradle, its not illegal to dial a number whilst driving,and imo that is REALLY distracting, the size of the keys on phones now.

I'm not undermining that it's a great deterrent, but is it really practical?

Lol, reminds me of being in school as the teacher puts it away in their drawer - "you can have it back at home time"

Its as practical as giving people points on their license and a fine. The trouble with our government is they are far too laid back. If they made the punishment:

- 3 Points
- £60 Fine
- Confiscation of handset with no return

You then see how many people would break the rules. I suppose they could confiscate the handset on the second time of being caught.

I have heard that they do confiscate your phone if there was a crash that was caused by the use of a mobile while driving but not sure if they are taking this into effect.

Its a bit late to do it when the crash has been caused lol. It should be done as a form of prevention.

Where did you hear that btw Pomp matey?

Think from the radio during its news hours not too sure, i'll try looking for some stuff about it.

Jst found something while searching but its nothing to do with ur question but this might make u happy, a petition to 10 downing street about ur theory of givin police powers to confiscate phones if they were caught using them while driving:

Petition - Give police more power to confiscate mobiles

Tis a good petition that Pomp, signed.

gdgd

well iv just baught a cd radio wid bluetooth for this reason lol basically it turns my car in to one big phone hehehehe i well recomend it for those who drive while you got a phone in your possestion or buy a bluetooth headset well worth the money guys

I got a wired handsfree for my Nokia 8850 lol... for anyone who has an older phone that doesnt have bluetooth, Tesco are selling off wired handsfree kits for dirst cheap atm.

The Nokia 33 series (basically any nokia with a 2.5 jack) and the Nokia Pop-Port handsfree kits are 67p lol!

people are now saying if the police pull you tehy are checking phone records if your denying using it. but only a senior officer can request this. so MR power trip man can whistle

The BT-1 bluetooth speaker that i've been selling is about the smae price as the fine is now! So i think it's well worth it if you don't fancy shelling out for a bluetooth HU like Scott_f did

The ear peices really annoy me, as mine is a cheapo one and is too quiet.