Ban hands-free phones at the wheel, says ‘Mr Loophole’

MOTORISTS should be banned from using hands-free phones at the wheel, according to the lawyer who has successfully defended a string of celebrities charged with such offences.

Nick Freeman’s comments come despite the fact he is due to defend Frank Lampard, the former Chelsea manager, for allegedly holding a cup of coffee and talking on the phone while driving in South Kensington, London.

New laws are to come in next year that will tighten the rules on use of hand-held devices. It will ban people from using them for “non-interactive” activities including taking photographs or scrolling playlists while driving.

But motorists will still be allowed to use phones to make hands-free calls and operate sat-nav apps, as long as the device is in a cradle.

Mr Freeman – the lawyer nicknamed Mr Loophole due to his expertise in getting clients off on legal technicalities – has said the law does not go far enough and he has called for a ban on mobile phones at the wheel.

He warned that any use of a phone while driving, even if it is secure in a cradle and in hands-free mode, is a distraction and could lead to accidents.

In the past Mr Freeman successfully defended Jimmy Carr who was charged with using his phone at the wheel.

He argued that the comedian was recording a joke rather than making a call and was therefore not involved in an “interactive communication”.

Mr Freeman said: “In my opinion, any form of use of a phone, except for an emergency, should be banned.

“In terms of distraction, hands-free has been equated with just below the level at which you’re permitted to drink and drive. Which means the chances of you having an accident using hands free increases four-fold. The stakes are just too high.”

In 2016 psychologists at the University of Sussex found driving while on a hands-free phone could be as distracting as talking on a hand-held mobile.