A law unto themselves

2 minute read  |  May 22, 2017

When do we want it? Hang on, let me just reply to this text…

In March 2017, the Government imposed harsher punishments for drivers caught using their mobile behind the wheel. Six points and a £220 fine, or an instant ban for those caught within the first year of passing their test. New research suggests that while the new rules mean well, it hasn’t been the deterrent many had wished.

The results are in 

A survey of more than 1,000 motorists by price comparison site MyCarNeedsA.com (no, we hadn’t heard of them either) has revealed that no amount of punishment can separate people from their phones.

Around 20% of respondents admitted to making a call while driving, with 2% admitting to sending a text and 6% saying they had checked social media. Shockingly, that number rose to 37% while stuck in traffic, with a whopping 66% admitting to sending a text and 18% making a call.

When asked whether the harsher punishments would stop them using their phone behind the wheel, 37% said it would, with the other 63% presumably too busy checking Facebook to care.

Miscommunication of your communication rights

Perhaps the most worrying statistic from the survey is that one in six respondents believed that they would not be fined for using their mobile at the side of the road while the engine was running. The facts are that since 2003, it has been illegal to touch a mobile phone, even with a hands free set, while driving.

Pic: Nokia 7600 released in 2003.

We can’t be sure but the release of the stunning Nokia 7600, may have caused the ban with motorists across Britain unable to take their hands of its curvy frame!

In 2015, mobile phone use while driving was directly related to 22 deaths and 99 serious injuries, causing to Nissan to act against law-breaking drivers by taking away the temptation.

They have developed an in car signal blocking technology, codenamed Signal Shield, which is built into the arm rests of their Juke crossover vehicles. But it seems that the UK is behind the times when it comes to protecting drivers from their mobiles. In the US, mobile phone network AT&T have launched a free app, DriveMode, which silences texts and alerts while the user is driving and automatically replies to them.

What do you think? Should even harsher punishments be implemented or should car and phone manufacturers get their heads together to remove the temptation from motorists?

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