New drivers caught using phones to lose licence
Discussion
While I agree 100% that drivers should be very heavily penalised for this, I don't agree that new drivers should be singled out for a heavier punishment. If it's an automatic loss of licence for some one who passed their test last year, then it should be the same for someone (like me ) who passed their test 30+ years ago. I'm just as likely to cause an accident if I'm texting while driving as an 18 year old and it could be argued that I should know better.
brrapp said:
I'm just as likely to cause an accident if I'm texting while driving as an 18 year old
No you're not. If the 18 year old is far more likely to crash than you when neither of you is texting (which is a fact backed up by statistics and resultant insurance premiums) then it stands to reason he is still far more likely to crash when you are both texting. brrapp said:
While I agree 100% that drivers should be very heavily penalised for this, I don't agree that new drivers should be singled out for a heavier punishment. If it's an automatic loss of licence for some one who passed their test last year, then it should be the same for someone (like me ) who passed their test 30+ years ago. I'm just as likely to cause an accident if I'm texting while driving as an 18 year old and it could be argued that I should know better.
New drivers are not singled out. They get 6 points as well as you. Just so happens that new drivers can only get 6 pts before having to re-apply for licence which has been the case for a while. 
brrapp said:
While I agree 100% that drivers should be very heavily penalised for this, I don't agree that new drivers should be singled out for a heavier punishment. If it's an automatic loss of licence for some one who passed their test last year, then it should be the same for someone (like me ) who passed their test 30+ years ago. I'm just as likely to cause an accident if I'm texting while driving as an 18 year old and it could be argued that I should know better.
You're looking at this from the wrong perspective. Nobody is getting a heavier punishment for this, it's just that new drivers have less room for error, same as with speeding points or any other minor traffic offence.18 year olds seem to have a major problem with having to check their social feeds every few seconds.
It makes me incandescent with rage as I seem to see so many drivers looking at their laps rather than looking where they are going. Good that they have made the punishment more severe but are people really worried about getting caught.
Policeman on the radio this morning was saying use of a mobile whilst driving is almost as dangerous as speeding.
Not sure about that.
I always find that the cars driven at high speed (illegal) tend to be driven by people who are concentrating on driving. I do stress 'tend'.
It makes me incandescent with rage as I seem to see so many drivers looking at their laps rather than looking where they are going. Good that they have made the punishment more severe but are people really worried about getting caught.
Policeman on the radio this morning was saying use of a mobile whilst driving is almost as dangerous as speeding.
Not sure about that.
I always find that the cars driven at high speed (illegal) tend to be driven by people who are concentrating on driving. I do stress 'tend'.
The Surveyor said:
brrapp said:
While I agree 100% that drivers should be very heavily penalised for this, I don't agree that new drivers should be singled out for a heavier punishment. If it's an automatic loss of licence for some one who passed their test last year, then it should be the same for someone (like me ) who passed their test 30+ years ago. I'm just as likely to cause an accident if I'm texting while driving as an 18 year old and it could be argued that I should know better.
You're looking at this from the wrong perspective. Nobody is getting a heavier punishment for this, it's just that new drivers have less room for error, same as with speeding points or any other minor traffic offence.TwigtheWonderkid said:
No you're not. If the 18 year old is far more likely to crash than you when neither of you is texting (which is a fact backed up by statistics and resultant insurance premiums) then it stands to reason he is still far more likely to crash when you are both texting.
No it doesn't? 18 year olds might be (and probably are) far more adept at texting as a secondary task.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff