The New Mobile Phone Driving Rules

Driving while on your mobile phone has always been dangerous. It offers an unneeded distraction and usually requires you to take at least one hand off the wheel, which lessens your control of the car. The distraction may also result in you reacting slower to what’s happening on the road. All of these issues can combine to cause road traffic accidents that can place both you and others at risk.

That’s why various regulations are in place to make sure that people don’t drive and use their mobile phones at the same time.

As of March 1^st, 2017, those regulations have changed again. If you get caught using your phone while you are driving, you could face a large fine of £200. Worse yet, you will get six penalty points on your driver’s licence, which places you halfway towards getting a full ban.

As you can see, the risk is not worth the reward, so tuck the phone away and don’t answer any calls or text messages until you have pulled over and it is safe to do so.

To give you some added incentive, here is a reminder of some of the dangers you create when you start using your mobile phone while driving.

Reducing Brain Activity

Various studies have shown that using your phone while you are driving actually reduces your brain activity. A study by Carnegie Mellon estimates that this reduction can be as much as 37%. The combination of using your hands to work the phone and focusing your attention on the person you are talking to means less of your brainpower is being used to make sure you act accordingly on the road.

The Dangers of Texting

When you are sending a text message, you take your eyes off the road. Even a short text could lead to you not looking where you are going for five seconds. Now, imagine you are driving at 60mph. Those five seconds means that you aren’t looking where you are going for a twelfth of a mile. That’s a lot of distance for something to go wrong in. There is nothing so important that you need to send it by text when you are driving. Leave the phone alone or pull into a safe spot so you can send the message.

Stay Informed

So, what can you do to make sure as many people as possible don’t use their mobile phones when driving?

As a driver, your first instinct should be to lead by example. Don’t ever use your phone when you are behind the wheel, as this shows others that you have your full attention on the road. This is especially important for parents of those approaching driving age, as you want to avoid the possibility of your children developing bad habits.

Beyond this, don’t be afraid to speak up when you see somebody using a phone while driving. This is really important when you are a passenger. Remember that your safety is at risk too if the driver is using a phone. Speak up and ask the driver to not talk on the phone while driving.