What You Didn't Know About Mobile Phones and Drive Thrus!
Most of us know it is illegal to use your mobile phone when behind the wheel but as technology moves on, things can get a little confusing so we are here to clear up a few things!
We all know that, by law, it is illegal to hold a phone or sat nav while driving or riding a motorcycle. You can use a mobile phone via handsfree access which includes;
- Bluetooth headset
- Voice command
- Dashboard holder/mat
- Windscreen mount
- Built-in sat nav
This applies whether you are stopped at traffic, queuing in traffic and/or supervising a learner driver!
The penalty for this offence, if you are caught, is 6 points on your license and a £200 fine, however this could increase to a ban from driving and a maximum fine of £1,000 if you are taken to court. It doesn’t really seem worth scrolling Instagram at the lights does it?
So, if we apply the literal meaning of the law, which is that it is illegal to operate a mobile phone, even momentarily by hand, where does that leave Apple Pay and drive thrus? We ask the important questions here!
In response to Q955 on askthe.police.uk, they state ‘potentially there could be legal issues with using a smart watch/phone to scan/pay for goods services whilst driving/riding e.g. at a take away food retailer or car park, but it would be a matter for a court to decide. To avoid any problems, we would suggest that if you wish to pay in this way you stop, turn the engine off and get out of the vehicle to scan your watch/phone’
Based on that, it’s probably better to be safe than sorry and use contactless cards or cold hard cash!