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As of February 27th 2007, drivers caught using a hand held
mobile phone will receive three points on their licence as well as
an increased fine of £60.
A study carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory shows
that using a hand held mobile phone impaired driving more than
being at the drink drive limit. The study also showed that using a
hands free mobile significantly affected driver concentration
levels. It's not illegal to have one beer then get behind the
wheel, nor is it illegal to use a hand's free set while driving.
However, both activities impair your ability to drive safely,
unnecessarily increasing your risk of a crash.
The law states that it is illegal to use a hand held mobile
whilst driving. This includes when stopped at traffic lights or in
a traffic jam and also if you are supervising a learner driver.
Personal risk
The effect it has on your concentration levels makes it unsafe to
use a mobile phone, hand-held or hands-free, whilst driving. The
safest thing to do is to switch off your phone before beginning a
journey. If you need to make a call or are expecting to be
contacted by work, friends or relatives, then make regular stops,
in a safe place, and with your engine switched off, check your
voicemail and make any necessary calls. You may be dying to make or
take that call, but is it really worth dying for?
You may ask 'what's the difference between talking on a mobile and
talking to a passenger?' Well there is a big difference. A
passenger will be aware of your surroundings and will often stop
talking when, for example, you are approaching a busy junction or
even warn you of a hazard you might not have noticed. This
obviously isn't the case with someone on the end of the phone as
they're not in the car with you. A passenger would see an
approaching hazard, a person on the phone wouldn't.
So why isn't it illegal to do all of the other things that
distract you when you're driving? Well, it is already illegal to do
all of those things if they mean you are not in proper control of
your vehicle. If a police officer believes this to be the case -
whether you are lighting up cigarette or changing a CD or having a
conversation via your flashy new hands-free kit - you can be
prosecuted for careless driving.
Business risk
Businesses need to be particularly aware of the new legislation.
While communication is obviously an integral part of any business,
it should not come at the expense of the safety of employees or
other road users.
An employer's duty of care extends into any vehicle being used
for their business. This means managing the occupational risk of
your staff by not expecting them to make or take phone calls while
on the road. Employers should not ask staff to carry out two tasks
at the same time - particularly when one of them, such as driving,
requires total concentration and is potentially dangerous. Would
any safety conscious employer really let their staff use dangerous
machinery and talk on the phone at the same time? If an employee
crashes whilst at work, employers could be liable for prosecution
and could ultimately be held accountable.
Don't take the risk
Maybe the increased penalty will focus some driver's minds and they
will get the message. But the bottom line is that no mobile phone
call or text is worth risking your life and lives of others.
Get the message - Just Drive!
To find out more about the road safety campaigns, visit the
website Kent Road Safety (link opens in a new
window). |