Driving and mobile phones

Some people are confused about the rules about using a mobile whilst driving, whilst others know the rules and break them. You might see other people driving with a phone to their ear but you must never do this - it is illegal.

To state it again, using a hand-held mobile whilst driving is totally illegal. Even if you are in a queue or haven't moved for ten minutes and so on, it is still illegal.

If you want to use a hand held mobile whilst you are in your car, then you cannot do it whilst driving. Instead you must move and park the car in a safe place where it is legal to stop, and only then may you use your mobile.

There is one common sense exception to the rule. That's when you need to make a 999 call in an emergency, and you are unable to stop as it is not safe or not practical to do so.

In terms of penalties, then you should consider the main risk is that it is dangerous to use a mobile whilst driving: we've all been in cars where there is an erratic driver speeding up and slowing down in front of you and that's generally due to them being on the mobile and having lapses of, and periods of, more attention.

But financially you can get fined £60 for using a mobile and have 3 penalty points against your license. The other downside is that your car insurance costs you will probably find goes up as a result of having points on your license.

Finally, your driving instructor is not allowed to use a hand-held mobile whilst they are teaching you; they must use a hands-free device.

Related Articles...

driving theory test
Your ignition warning light
When you turn on the electrical circuits in your car, then the ignition warning light will come on: make sure that this does indeed happen. Once the engine itself is started, then the ignition...

What time of day should I book my driving test?
This is entirely up to you and so there is no right or wrong answer to this. Many of us function either better in the morning or in the afternoon. If you are a morning person then you will...

What to do with keep clear markings
Keep clear markings are quite straightforward to understand, although amazingly some people either ignore them or do not appear to understand what they mean! You will often seen keep clear...

Medical rules and driving
There are a wide range of conditions that you can hold and still be a safe driver. However there are certain conditions that will may impact on your ability to be a safe driver and therefore could...

Your engine temperature gauge
These days many of us get into a car without really understanding how any of it works, and even the engine and how it operates and powers the car is a mystery to many. Well, essentially it...

What causes accidents: tailgating
Driving too close to a vehicle is dangerous for the very simple reason that you have too little time to react should something unexpected happen. And when you consider how many road journeys there...

How to pass the hazard perception test
First you need to understand just what a hazard is. Broadly, it is any element that can introduce risk into the driving scenario. There are various different types of hazard that are...

What to do at a ford
This article is about driving through a ford, not about driving a Ford car. When you see a warning sign for a ford you should naturally slow down. Then look at the ford and assess the depth...

Maintaining your car
It is essential that you look after your car and keep it in good condition. Not only is this paramount for your safety and that of other road users, but also it means that the longevity of your car...

Motorway Driving Tips
Driving on a motorway for the first time can be both exciting and a little daunting - exciting as it is something new whilst daunting as you won't have experienced driving on a motorway before...


Back to home page of driving theory test questions