RE: Laws Changed For Mobile Phone Driving
Friday 7th September 2007
Laws Changed For Mobile Phone Driving
People involved in accidents while on their mobiles will be punished much more severely
The Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Ken Macdonald has announced plans to upgrade the punishments for drivers who use their phones. It could be considered dangerous driving and the sentence would be 2 years in jail. Causing death by dangerous driving would get 14 years and manslaughter would mean life imprisonment.
The upgraded sentences will be available to prosecutors from September 24th, proving a dramatic change from the current £60 fine and three penalty points. The charge would only be implemented if the use of the phone endangered others by causing the driver to swerve, run a red light, etc. Sat-navs and MP3 players would also be considered distractions bad enough to cause dangerous driving.
Discussion
Hmm.... i think its all 
ridiculous. At the risk of upsetting a lot of people i would just like to point out that if i recall the main reason for them doing the whole ban in the first place was so that the driver can keep his/her hands on the wheel at all times and not be distracted... if so then why have they not ban smoking while driving? Hand of the wheel, not concentrating and could get distracted. Why have they not ban stereos, you need your hand of the wheel to adjust for that too, why not just ban any communication whatsoever while driving then we would always be concentrating on the job in hand... namely trying not to get caught by a speed camera placed to make money!
Grrrrr
ridiculous. At the risk of upsetting a lot of people i would just like to point out that if i recall the main reason for them doing the whole ban in the first place was so that the driver can keep his/her hands on the wheel at all times and not be distracted... if so then why have they not ban smoking while driving? Hand of the wheel, not concentrating and could get distracted. Why have they not ban stereos, you need your hand of the wheel to adjust for that too, why not just ban any communication whatsoever while driving then we would always be concentrating on the job in hand... namely trying not to get caught by a speed camera placed to make money!Grrrrr
so do you think that you shouldn't ban anything unless 'everything' is banned?? I have seen some shocking driving by people on the phone and those who have dropped a fag between their legs (some peple will do anything for a thrill 
) Just cos they aint banning smoking whilst driving doesn't mean I don't think they should ban anything else.
Your answer always seems to be something shouted when new rules come out "well what about x" - why does it matter?.....surely you dont think that the Majority of road users are capable enough to talk and drive? most of em shouldnt be allowed to drive at all!
I am please dthey're going to make the penalty much worse for poeple in accidents. Totally ignoring new laws is becoming something of a fad...and whether I agree or disagere with them it does really irritate me!
) Just cos they aint banning smoking whilst driving doesn't mean I don't think they should ban anything else.Your answer always seems to be something shouted when new rules come out "well what about x" - why does it matter?.....surely you dont think that the Majority of road users are capable enough to talk and drive? most of em shouldnt be allowed to drive at all!
I am please dthey're going to make the penalty much worse for poeple in accidents. Totally ignoring new laws is becoming something of a fad...and whether I agree or disagere with them it does really irritate me!
Jasandjules said:
I disagree with Jail simply for using the phone at the wheel. In the event of them causing an accident however then I would say the punishment MAY be suitable, or at least some small prison term..
It's just crap reporting. 2 Years for dangerous driving is the maximum sentence for that offence. All that's changed is that using a mobile phone and driving badly will go together to form a case for dangerous driving rather than careless driving.
I think it's a story about nothing much.
If you drive in a way that would normally be classed as careless driving, and you're using your phone at the time, it will instead be classed as dangerous driving and the normal penalties for this will apply, ie. up to 2 years imprisonment, I think it's level 5 fines and a mandatory minimum 12 month ban and extended retest.
Just using your phone without another offence will remain as is.
If you drive in a way that would normally be classed as careless driving, and you're using your phone at the time, it will instead be classed as dangerous driving and the normal penalties for this will apply, ie. up to 2 years imprisonment, I think it's level 5 fines and a mandatory minimum 12 month ban and extended retest.
Just using your phone without another offence will remain as is.
BDEng66 said:
On a more serious note....are we being told that;
a) using a mobile phone whilst driving is dangerous driving by default? or
b) only if it results in an accident?
More dangerous if you have an accident-line stays open & runs up yer phone bill !!a) using a mobile phone whilst driving is dangerous driving by default? or
b) only if it results in an accident?
Seriously though, I agree with comments about crap driving examples when on hand-held phone. I think people should get nicked for it-3 reasons:
1) It DOES detract from concentration. I've done it myself before law changed with a Co. car & phone for 6 yrs. It's SO easy to forget how much ground you've covered in relatively short time with it stuck to your lug 'ole.(even on hands-free concentration is affected)
2) OBVIously-it ties up one hand permanently. Please don't tell me you can do the jam it against your shoulder thing. Would you choose to drive with your head cocked over like that??
3) FFS- what is it with people who can afford £30K cars (e.g) but either can't afford or can't be ar*ed to buy a £30-40 plug in jobbie. Get real.
sprinter885 said:
BDEng66 said:
On a more serious note....are we being told that;
a) using a mobile phone whilst driving is dangerous driving by default? or
b) only if it results in an accident?
More dangerous if you have an accident-line stays open & runs up yer phone bill !!a) using a mobile phone whilst driving is dangerous driving by default? or
b) only if it results in an accident?
Seriously though, I agree with comments about crap driving examples when on hand-held phone. I think people should get nicked for it-3 reasons:
1) It DOES detract from concentration. I've done it myself before law changed with a Co. car & phone for 6 yrs. It's SO easy to forget how much ground you've covered in relatively short time with it stuck to your lug 'ole.(even on hands-free concentration is affected)
2) OBVIously-it ties up one hand permanently. Please don't tell me you can do the jam it against your shoulder thing. Would you choose to drive with your head cocked over like that??
3) FFS- what is it with people who can afford £30K cars (e.g) but either can't afford or can't be ar*ed to buy a £30-40 plug in jobbie. Get real.
Surely cathing someone driving dangerously whilst on the phone requires a police presence on the road? I live 2 minutes walk from a police station and rarely see police vehicles on the road. And when I do, they excessively speed (40mph in a 30) and fail to indicate properly.
I mean come on, the police couldnt catch a cold, so why bother making all these new laws up and not enforcing them? If you went to the police and told them someone had hit your car and sped off, and were seen to be using a mobile at the time, the police would turn you away quicker than you could say 'easy money making cases only...'
I mean come on, the police couldnt catch a cold, so why bother making all these new laws up and not enforcing them? If you went to the police and told them someone had hit your car and sped off, and were seen to be using a mobile at the time, the police would turn you away quicker than you could say 'easy money making cases only...'
I allways found it a bit odd that they banned the use of mobiles, but allow people to take a fiddly paper tube filled with plant matter out of a sealed box, then take a red hot device out of the dash, or worse still strike an incindiary device against a bit of sandpaper causing it to burst into flame, to light the said fiddly paper tube. which then proceeds to make smoke, which makes the eyes smart and close, and after a while results in a 10mm section of red hot waste material which can fall off the paper tube, and burn ones genitalia.....All whilst driving a motor vehicle. All to often we see a driver with a fag between their fingers who it seems cannot drive, even if they didnt have a fag between their Fingers.
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