Drivers have been warned that a common traffic jam habit could land them a costly fine. Checking your phone while stuck in congestion is a punishable offence and could result in a £200 fine.
This could also see you given six points on your licence. It’s actually against the law to hold and operate a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any data transmitting or receiving device while driving or riding a motorcycle.
According to GOV.UK, using your mobile phone or sat nav while not fully “safely parked” could actually see you given a fine of up to £1,000 in some circumstances and a ban from driving if the case goes to court.
Therefore, you must not use a handheld device for any purpose, regardless of whether it's connected to the internet or not.
This rule extends to texting, making calls, capturing photos or videos, or surfing the internet.
The law applies even if you're:
If found guilty of any of the above, you could face six penalty points on your licence and a fine of £200. The repercussions are more severe for novice drivers.
If you have passed your driving test within the last two years, you risk losing your licence. In certain cases, you may also be summoned to court where you can:
There are some exceptions to these rules. You are permitted to use a handheld device if:
You are also permitted to use devices offering hands-free functionality, provided you refrain from physically holding them at any point.
"The police can stop you if they think you're not in control because you're distracted and you can be prosecuted."