SIX POINTS AND A £ 200 FINE FOR DRIVERS CAUGHT USING MOBILE PHONES AT THE WHEEL
Drivers caught using a phone within two years of passing their test will have their licence revoked under new rules in England , Scotland and Wales .
Penalties for using a phone at the wheel double from 1 March , to six points and a £ 200 fine . If caught , young and inexperienced drivers will have to apply and pay for a new provisional licence , and pass both the theory and practical parts of the test all over again . More experienced drivers can be banned if they get 12 points in three years .
In 2015 - the latest year for which figures are available - 22 people were killed and 99 seriously injured in accidents where a driver was using their phone .
Police forces have actioned a seven day crackdown , with extra patrols and an “ increased focus ” on stopping people using their phones while driving .
You can use your phone to listen to music and podcasts but only if your phone is in a hands-free holder or connected by Bluetooth .
However , just as you can be distracted by the noise of a car radio , if it affects your ability to drive safely , you could still be prosecuted by the police . Q . Can I use my phone ’ s sat nav ? A . Yes - providing the phone is mounted in a hands-free holder . If it ’ s in your hands , it ’ s illegal . However , if you are distracted by the sat nav and it affects your ability to drive safely , you could still be prosecuted by the police . Q . Can I pull over onto a single yellow line to check my phone ? A . Yes , providing you are safely parked - and there are no road markings showing restrictions at that time . Q . What counts as hands-free ? A . A dashboard holder or cradle , earphones or a Bluetooth connection . It is illegal to use hand-held microphones or to hold your phone out on loudspeaker . Q . So what can I do on my phone ? A . You can only use your phone in your hands if you are safely parked . The only exception is if you need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it is unsafe or impractical to stop . Q . What about learner drivers ? A . The same rules apply , and it is also illegal to use a handheld phone or similar device when supervising a learner driver or motorcycle rider .
MOBILE PHONES : THE LAW Q . Can I check social media or texts if I ’ m queuing in traffic or stopped at traffic lights ? A . No - a hand held phone cannot be used even if stopped at lights . Q . Can I use my phone to listen to music , play podcasts or watch video clips ? A . You can ’ t watch video clips - not even if your phone is mounted in a hands-free holder .
Nick Lloyd , road safety manager for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents ( RoSPA ) commented : “ Taking your theory and practical driving tests can be an expensive and stressful time , so imagine having to go through it all again for one moment of stupidity .
“ We understand how difficult it can be to ignore your mobile phone , but there ’ s not a single reason that will excuse putting people ’ s lives at risk , and hopefully these new stricter penalties will mean drivers think twice .”
BALFOUR BEATTY IN COURT AFTER BRICKLAYER FRACTURES FOOT
Construction giant Balfour Beatty has been fined after flooring at a house-building development gave way , injuring a worker .
Newcastle Crown Court heard how a worker was on the first floor of a new build domestic property when the floor gave way at one side . The worker and approximately 70 building blocks slid 2.4 metres , vertically , to the ground . He suffered fractures to bones in his foot .
Balfour Beatty Regional Construction Limited ( Balfour Beatty ) was running the site at Richmond Park , Croft ,
Sheffield , where the incident occurred . The injured person was one of a three-man brick laying team instructed to work on the first floor of an incomplete property .
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive ( HSE ) into the incident , which occurred on 2 March 2015 , found that the supporting joists of the first floor had not been fully installed as per the house designer ’ s instructions , leaving it unstable .
Balfour Beatty Regional Construction Limited of Wilton Road , London , pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 28 ( 1 ) of the Construction ( Design and Management ) Regulations 2007 and was fined £ 230,000 and ordered to pay costs of £ 11,915 . HSE Inspector Alan Sheldon said : “ It is vital that companies follow design instructions and ensure that structures are stable . This incident could have been much more serious for a number of workers and should act as a reminder to everyone within construction - that protecting workers ’ health and safety is vital in such a potentially dangerous industry .”
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