£1,000 fines for using phone at the wheel now

HUNDREDS of Staffordshire drivers have been penalised for using their phones while behind the wheel – as new rules mean even touching the devices could get them into trouble.

Drivers could now be hit with a fine of up to £1,000 for doing almost anything with mobile phones or tablets after tough changes to the Highway Code came into force recently.

It had previously been an offence to send texts or make calls while driving but the new rules mean someone can be punished for a much wider range of uses.

This could include unlocking a device, illuminating the screen, using the camera or video or checking the time, and could also land someone with six points on their licence or a full driving ban.

The new laws also apply to a passenger in a vehicle who is supervising a learner driver while they are driving.

However, people can still use a hands-free device while driving if it’s secured in a cradle. Even before these new rules were put in place, Staffordshire Police punished 657 offenders for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving in 2020, the latest Home Office figures show.

That was an increase of two per cent from 643 in 2019, despite travel restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2020, 409 cases resulted in a fine and the driver being slapped with points on their licence, while 248 ended with an individual being summoned to face court action.

Meanwhile, a further 21 offences were cancelled.

Across England and Wales, drivers were hit with 14,326 fines and other penalties for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving in 2020 – a 39% drop from 23,468 a year earlier.

That included 7,064 fines, 2,960 driver retraining courses, and 4,302 court summonses. A further 1,364 cases were cancelled.

The figures exclude the Metropolitan Police in London as the force records its data differently.

Responding to the changes, AA president Edmund King said they were a “muchneeded toughening of the rules to help make our roads safer”.

However, he added: “Those who believe they can still play with their phone because it’s in a cradle must think again.”