Driving a car well requires a great deal of concentration, skill and judgement. If a driver is holding the wheel of the car with one hand, while a mobile phone is held to the ear by the other, they have less control over the steering of the car. The driver is also distracted, and not concentrating fully on the road and what is happening around the car.
Research has shown that drivers who talk on a mobile phone while driving are four times more likely to have an accident. Some drivers send or read texts while driving, or access email or social networking sites via a smartphone, and these drivers are 23 times more likely to be involved in collisions with other cars.
In December 2003, the Government introduced legislation making it an offence in the UK not only to use a hand-held mobile while driving a car or riding a motorbike but to ‘cause or permit’ someone to do so while driving or to use one while supervising a learner driver. Making a call during temporary stops, such as a red light or a traffic jam, is also an offence. There is no legislation prohibiting the use of hands-free mobile phones while driving.
The penalty for any of the above offences is a fixed fine of £60 and three penalty points added to the driving licence. The fine can be increased up to £1000 if the driver is taken to court. For drivers in charge of buses, coaches or goods vehicles, the fixed fine is £2,500. The police are also able to bring other charges, such as careless driving or dangerous driving, against drivers who lose control of their vehicles while holding a mobile phone, who then face up to two years in jail.
Autotronix offers a wide selection of car phone kits from top-class brands, including Motorola, Parrot and Alpine. These kits transfer all the contact details from your phone, allowing you to safely make calls with just one touch of a button, and have easily-read displays to minimise distraction. Hands-free kits can be fitted at our workshop, or we can come to you. Don’t risk accidents and fines; have a high-quality, hands-free kit installed in your car today.