CV drivers and operators are being urged to review their mobile phone usage and policies as tough new rules come into force across the UK.
Drivers are facing much tougher penalties if caught using a mobile phone whilst driving as of today. An on-the-spot fine of £200 and six penalty points will replace the previous £100 fine and three penalty points. Remedial courses will no longer be offered to offending drivers.
Using a handheld mobile phone while driving has been illegal in the UK since 2003. The law states: “It is illegal to use a hand-held phone or similar device while driving… The rules are the same if you’re stopped at traffic lights or queuing in traffic.”
Drivers can only use a hand-held phone if they need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it is unsafe or impractical to stop or if they are parked. Prosecution can still be brought if drivers become distracted by hands-free technology.
Government figures for 2014 revealed that every day 500,000 motorists were using their phones while driving. In the same year, drivers being distracted by their phones was a contributory factor in 492 accidents.
Drivers using a hand-held mobile phone are slower at recognising and subsequently reacting to hazards. A lapse in concentration and being distracted could result in a crash.
Leading independent road safety charity IAM RoadSmart is of the view that using a hand-held phone while on the move is a fatal distraction, and cites the example of lorry driver Tomasz Kroker. Jailed in October 2016, Kroker was found guilty of causing the deaths of four people when he crashed into stationary traffic whilst searching for music on his smartphone. In court it was revealed that an hour before the crash, Kroker had signed a declaration to his employer promising not to use his phone at the wheel.
Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Research, said: “Addressing the growing problem of smartphone use whilst driving will require a combination of enforcement and education as well as drivers, passengers, companies and individuals taking more responsibility.”
Companies must ensure that their drivers are educated as to the dangers and penalties of using a phone whilst driving. Businesses will also see an increase in insurance premiums if prosecutions are brought.
Kate Rock, PR & Corporate Communications Manager at Goodyear Tyres UK, emphasises the importance of the education of drivers: “It’s absolutely imperative that more education is provided to make drivers aware of the potential dangers of the road and the distractions around them, so that safe driving becomes second nature.”
Doubling the penalty points from three to six means that many more drivers will now be at risk of losing their licence altogether if they are caught using their phone. Drivers who have had their licence for less than two years only have six points on their licence anyway, so a single mobile phone offence would see them automatically lose their licence.
For professional drivers, the loss of their driver’s licence could mean the loss of their job, which would almost certainly be a far more severe punishment than the penalty itself. Many employers have conditions in their employment contracts which allow them to automatically terminate an employee who loses their licence.
For companies running commercial vehicles and employing professional drivers, losing employees due to driving bans will be an expensive business, both in terms of replacing banned drivers and potentially losing business if unable to continue operating as normal. All companies should have a solid policy on banning the use of mobile phones when driving on company business, and should make sure that all employees are aware of the consequences to their jobs if caught.