Safer driving

Law changes about using a phone whilst driving

We all want the roads to be as safe as possible. This is especially true if you work on the road, driving a HGV, van, minibus or ambulance. Everyone that spends time on the UKs roads will have seen people not paying enough attention to the road ahead. Whether that is due to singing along to loud music, or using their phone we all know distractions whilst diving are a bad idea.

This is why new laws have been brought in by the Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps. The new rules mean it is now illegal for motorists to use a handheld mobile phone under virtually any circumstance while driving. Anyone caught using their handheld device while driving could face a fine of up to £1,000 as well as 6 points on their licence or a full driving ban. You can read the announcement of the new rules here.

Exceptions

We can see why people that spend a lot of time driving may feel that the new law is unwelcome. We’ve all used our phones in the past to listen to music on a long journey. Most people’s lives are on their phones, so stopping them from being used is a big challenge. The majority of drivers are not using their phones in a dangerous way whilst driving. There is a minority that are a serious risk to other road users, so the new law will make these people easier to stop. That is why the new law has been introduced.

There are sensible exceptions to the new rules. You’re still allowed to make payments with your phone as long as your vehicle is stationary, so drive through food outlets and petrol stations will still be able to take phone payments. You are also allowed to continue to use your phone as a sat nav, as long as it’s in a cradle. If this exception hadn’t been made it would have made some couriers jobs unmanageable.

The new laws will come with an advertising campaign, to inform drivers.

The public consultation for this new law found 81% of people supported anything that made the culprits of dangerous driving easier to be prosecuted. Overall we welcome the new law, as it will stop people from using messaging apps or taking pictures or even videos whilst driving. These are just unnecessary distractions, and it will keep people that drive for a living safer on the roads.

We train people to look out for hazards and be aware of their surroundings. Awareness of other drivers is obviously an important part of driving a larger vehicle. The fewer distractions you have the faster you will notice any hazards and the safer you will be. It is our business to ensure our drivers have good driving habits, and pay attention to the road.