Wednesday 28th February 2007

Mobile phone fines go up

Phone law gets tough but who will enforce it?

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The fine for using a mobile phone while driving went up to £60 yesterday, plus you'll get three points on your licence. If you argue the case in court, the fine could rise to as much as £2,500.

Many if not most motorists may never have heard of it, with a new survey claiming that as many as 20 million drivers may be unaware. It also reckoned that over one-third (36 per cent) of motorists risk driving while using a mobile phone, believing a £30 fine is the worst that can happen. Most of these drivers presumably believe they are very unlikely to be caught.

Yet the numbers of those who both indulge in this unsafe practice and are caught run only into thousands. Drive around and you'll easily spot dozens – assuming you're not keeping your eyes on the road -- and that's just with one person's eyes...

It's clear that the Government's plan to deter mobile phone usage is failing not because of lack of tough legislation but because there's not enough police around to enforce it.

Don't expect that to change anytime soon...

[Brink]

There's a news story on the BBC news site about the police using the new law to nab drivers on the M6 for using a hand-held phone whilst driving. The police are, in fact, doing something about it then.