Mobile Phones and Driving | The Updates
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- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- There has been a little bit of confusion over the new mobile phone laws whilst operating a vehicle. Even I felt I had to get in touch with the Department of Transport to clarify one point. Hopefully I've made things simple to understand in this video.
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#driving #mobilephone #education
A prat on a mobile killed my father. He not only ended my dads life, he also ended the existence of my mother. 12 years later and every waking moment is pain.
Did you take civil action?
HUGS ❤️❤️❤️
@@jastat I did indeed. I didn’t feel like 5 months prison and being able to drive again in 3 years was justice.
Judging by the dramatic framing of the whole thing, this has a vibe like a "never happened" story...
@@MarekBobosik Yes we should be skeptic about what we read in online comments, but this scenario sadly does not sound too unrealistic at all.
I was under the impression before that we weren't even allowed to touch our mobile while driving so nothing much changed for me then lol
Me too!
This is understandable given people like Ashley have been championing not using a mobile phone at all in previous videos and rightfully so.
I give Ashley a lot of kudos for the zero tolerance approach to using a mobile while driving as it is sound advice.
The only thing my phone is used for is the internet connection when I tether the car to it for waze and then stowed in the glove box while I drive beyond that the cars head unit can also make receive calls but I ignores those to more often than not to be fair.
I can set up the head unit to receive text messages but I have not done so as that is pointless and to much of a distraction and if it was an emergency then I seriously doubt anyone would send a text in that scenario any way so I see no benefit of cars having that ability to begin with.
Such a simple rule: It is illegal to touch a mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle! Don't no why there are all the complications.
@@Being_Jeff What if it's in your pocket and touching you that way?
@@Being_Jeff It is not illegal to "touch" a mobile phone provided it is secured in a cradle or holder. In other words you can press the button to accept a call as long as you don't hold the phone in your hand. You still have to be in full control whilst driving as that could obviously be a different offence.
Thanks for clarifying that a cradle is still legal. I have my phone attached to my motorbikes handlebars for using as a sat nav and music with Android auto so was concerned that it wasn't clear. Top work as always!
You still can't touch your phone whatsoever
The Police video says if you touch your phone when in a cradle that is ILLEGAL
Its good to get clarification regarding the phone in its cradle. However I do wonder where the law stands on android auto etc. I could use most of the phones functions via the touch screen in the car, although most of them can be voice controlled via a button on the steering wheel. But that leads to another potential problem, with a lot of newer cars a significant number of the cars options are controlled via this interface, take the Teslas for example almost all functions are controlled via the huge display next to the driver, and the menu structure is often much more complicated that a simple on/off switch. The phone problem is simple, switch it off and stick it in the glove box, tune in your favourite radio station, and enjoy the drive.
I agree - the use of screens to control basic things in cars is a huge backwards step. A friend had a Jag a while ago and you had to go into a menu to turn the fan speed up/down - it was hard as a passenger to be accurate when trying this and impossible for the driver. I can reach down without taking my eyes off the road and deal with all the heater controls on my 12 years old Citroen van. Sod safety let’s have more pointless tech?
It's not rocket science " is it 😡
your "simple" solution is not so simple for those of us who use it as the media player and the sat nav. a lot of people can't afford to replicate their phones functionality in the car just to meet your "simple" solution.
please think about others and their circumstances.
Such a boomer. Why the he'll would I buy a radio when I have a perfectly good phone
Your joking, who actually listens to the commercial dross they pump out on the radio anymore ? That’s why we have freedom to download and create our own playlists !
It seems terribly inconsistent that new cars are being manufactured with touch screens at the same time as we're all realising that touch screens and safe driving don't mix.
I would agree with you but it's easy. You're driving up a motorway and it suddenly becomes really cold. You, therefore, wait till you can pull in to the next service station where you can touch the screen several times and eventually get the heating working. You then return to the motorway and carry on your journey - until you have to do the same thing because now the car is too warm.
(Can you ever see that happening???)
You expect the experts in the ivory towers to have any concept or understanding of real life?
@@TheSadButMadLad The consumer has a choice. If you don't like the product don't buy it. The reason features like this exist is that they make money for the company selling them, because people want to buy them...
@@jastat Or they are cheaper to install and the company makes even more money.
@@jastat these touch screens are not optional extras. They're standard fitting these days.
I can't understand how changing songs on your phone is lethal, yet doing so on a massive tablet that manufacturers screw to the dash is perfectly fine.
It can be illegal, under different legislation, this video is to clarify the mobile phone legislation only.
Tis the hand held bit that’s the issue:- and the catch all is to cover the “excuses” that are just “not so white lie excuses”
Basically you can be prosecuted if you have an accident and it's found that anything has distracted you. Even if it's features and functions built into the car.
Or even more that you can get a cigarette out and light it with a naked flame while driving and that's perfectly legal.
Why do you want music on your supposed to be concentrating on driving I never have radio on while driving and always have drivers window open about 1 inch so can hear anything in my blind spot
Good to have the clarification about the use of a phone in a cradle. For instance, when using Google maps for satnav, the routing software will occasionally pop up a message saying ‘faster route available’ with the options to accept or reject, and it wasn’t clear to me whether taking a hand off the wheel to choose an option in this context was permitted.
That’s explained something to me. I use the TomTom app for navigation and it used to do the same thing. Then somebody decided that they would just put a green arrow on the display at the junction where you’d need to turn off. I thought that was a backward step, but now I see it’s better because you accept the alternate route just by taking it. No need to even touch the screen.
@@jeremypnet This does sound a better way to handle this situation
New driver here (
The Police video says if you touch your phone when in a cradle that is ILLEGAL [even if you are in full control of the vehicle if you are not stopped and engine off and you touch it - at all!! you are guilty.
even if you need to dial 999 it is illegal to touch you phone whilst moving [unless there isn't a safe space to park your car and call them]
YOU TOUCH IT YOU'RE DONE!!!
As always nice clear explanation of the changes. I 100% agree with the changes there's zero excuse to be using a mobile while driving.
Even when I am walking, I need to find a suitable place to stand still and use my phone. Using a phone while walking may cause me to walk into another person or cyclist or trip up on a rough patch of ground.
Very good example! Nice to see it written in the comments. Using your phone is a distraction. Period. It doesn't matter how you travel. But the faster and bigger the vehicle, the more damage you can do when such distraction becomes an accident. Bonking into a person as a pedestrian might even be funny. Running someone over with a HGV is a death sentence.
Our health and safety policy at work prohibits walking and phone use at site time whilst on site. We had one chap who walked out in front of a forklift whilst looking at his phone.
It’s a modern risk. You won’t have to wait too long to notice someone crossing the road while on the phone, being unaware of your presence in your car etc.
@@smiffy925 which would have been fine... Except the person driving the fork lift was on their phone too.
I was once stopped for using my phone whilst driving. Only my phone wasn't even in the car! This small fact didn't stop the traffic policeman from lecturing me and then issuing a summons. Luckily I was able to show the court the phone record.
That's very worrying. How on earth did that happen? And how on earth did the officer issue a summons if no phone was found? I'm baffled by this and curious to think what the officer thought he saw??
Great video Ashley! It bewilders me how many people I still see on there phones when I’m driving though, especially at lights or at junctions where things can happen quickly.
These updates are exactly why I’ve subscribed. As an experienced driver I wasn’t even aware the rules for mobiles and driving had been updated. Thanks.🙏🌞🌻🇬🇧🌻🙏
Many modern cars have bluetooth integration to remote controls on the steering wheel and /or voice control. So if your car/phone has this facility use it. Then apart from payments there is no need to touch the thing at all
Yes these days even low end spec cars have connectivity, it's pretty much standard equipment in cars, vans and trucks so no excuse, phones should be kept out of reach, if you own a sat nav or your car has a built in sat nav then there's no need to have your phone in sight, most new cars also have Apple and Google play so you can use alternative navigation systems through your cars media system, you can also use the controls on the steering wheel to change music.
I have a device in my car that makes it so I don't have to use my phone to make payments. it's called "cash"
@@kenbrown2808 Can you explain further?
@@kenbrown2808 And if you keep your cash in a wallet then you have to pick up that wallet, open it, find the right cash, hand the cash over, receive the change, check the change, put the change back into the wallet, close the wallet and put the wallet away. That probably requires more attention than picking up a phone, if necessary unlocking it, tapping it on to a terminal and putting it back to the cradle.
@@ArminGrewe If the wallet is in an awkward pocket you're forced to ensure the car is parked before twisting to get at it, whereas a phone on a mount or in the glovebox is easily accessible without that. If you take it out of gear with the handbrake on so you can take your foot off the brake to get leverage on the floor to move to access your pocket it can't roll away, but you may think you can lean to the glovebox while still on the foot brake or clutch and roll into another car in the process as you let off the pedal without realising.
Even without that, the more complex nature is actually better as that in itself forces you to focus more on it and eliminate anything else that could distract you from it, like holding the car on the footbrake, and the extra time counting the right money takes makes holding it on the foot brake less appealing making you more likely to correctly secure the car before paying.
Thank you very much for clarifying the cradle bit, I'm an uber driver and I was not sure if was allowed to accept or reject a job while driving with my phone in the cradle. Cheers
I do UberEats deliveries. I saw one video where a UK cop said that we must safely pull over to the side of the road, turn off the ignition and then check when a delivery comes through. That's not practical as you don't get enough time to decide to accept the job or not.
It's legal in the UK. And has to be. A lot of these gig economy jobs are based around red route clearway, or places you can't park. It would be impossible to do these jobs without tapping a screen. The law still says we must do it safely. So don't 'tap' driving round a bend, or overtaking, etc. The government seta the environment, where these jobs are born. And the authorities also create the road conditions. They have to make every day functioning, plausible.
Hi Ashley, thank you for specifically addressing Sat Nav functionality - I use my phone in this way, in a cradle when I'm travelling somewhere unfamiliar and as you say, it wasn't clear in the guidelines.
I will make sure to set the destination before leaving and then not touch it.
However, the phone is switched on and therefore is capable of receiving calls that can and will be distracting. The problem with mobile phones when driving is that they are a distraction to the driver, constant calls, whether they are answered or not will be both irritating and cause the driver to avert his eyes and mind from his duty to be driving safely. My daughters have their mobiles switched on in the car whilst driving, one to use as a sat nav and the other to receive hands free business calls that are controlled by the steering wheel controls via bluetooth. I don't condone either use. Another advantage that my wife has discovered is that she can track their location both for piece of mind and knowing when to put the dinner on!
I have a mobile that is usually in the drawer and switched off. It is only switched on when I want to make a call - never from a vehicle. I have over 20 years weened all my contacts away from contacting me by mobile as it became a plague on my life. I don't use a sat nav as I find them irritating and unreliable, I prefer to check my route via maps, including Google Maps and often print the relevant parts for emergency reference. Maps can tell you so much more than direction and if read intuitively can provide much more information to ease the journey. Besides, I have an innate sense of direction that can see me navigate even large cities with ease.
@@clivewilliams3661 not exactly correct Clive, I have an iPhone which switches itself to driving mode when it detects I'm in the car - so even when I'm using it as a Sat Nav it doesn't notify me of incoming calls, texts or any other notifications.
@@clivewilliams3661 your use case for your phone is pretty unusual honestly, and most modern phones you can turn off incoming calls when it is being used as a sat nav.
And looking at maps and/or printouts of routes I assume you're an older gentleman that's generally not how younger generations do thinks sat nav is easy and convenient.
@@clivewilliams3661 Good for you. We don't all have your innate sense of direction and some of us use sat nav as a means of getting around. They wouldn't have invented it if it were unsafe to use.
@@Matthew-bu7fg I can't understand why people pay hundreds of pounds for a sat nav
when in our days your smartphone has them built in
To me it just seems an absolute waste of money 💵💰in my personal opinion
Thanks for covering the sat nav use case I use my phone as a sat nav all the time nearly I also have a setting that disables incoming calls and notifications so its as little of a distraction as possible
I remember your video years ago of rules with mobile phone Ashley. There was a driver with a different country reg plate on his car and the car was left hand drive and in traffic he plugged his phone into charging and held it up while driving off from lights. Good thing I kept back because he could've hit me
Rightly so! The amount of people I've seen on their phones, especially on motorways is scary. Hopefully this changes that... Hopefully
Totally agree but no one to police it. I even had a copper driving behind another cat with driver on his phone I was overtaking on my bike. I dropped back and indicated holding a phone to my helmet and pointed to the car offending. Then the blue lights came on. 😁
I'm not optimistic - those people were generally operating in an illegal way anyway!
@@laceandwhisky haha you sound like the motorbike version of cycling Mikey! I've only done my CBT but I would be extra scared if I saw that while on a bike. You definitely did the right thing and who knows, maybe even saved a life :)
@@laceandwhisky I tried that but the officer saw my message and carried d on driving.
How exactly would it change it? Looking at your phone on the motorway was illegal before this as well, as was reading books, looking at photos, and any and all activities that distracted you from the road.
Not sure about the glovebox advice, I was always told by my instructor to have phone off but within reach as crucial if have an accident, especially if somewhere remote or are trapped
within reach is within temptation. Since we had a family member killed by a texting driver I've had a policy of putting mine in the car boot, and recommending others to do the same. People are being killed and maimed every day in collisions caused by phone users, someone dying trapped in a car in a remote location is incredibly rare.
@@Dave-bu6bc what if you’re followed? Try saying that to someone who’s life has been saved by not
Locking it in the glove compartment. Utterly ridiculous comment by you.
Thanks for the points you have added regarding use of a device in a cradle. A lot of recent commentary from others on this issue has only added confusion. I take the point that usage of a device in this configuration should be kept to the absolute minimum, as should use of other built in features in a car i.e. infotainment systems by the driver IMHO.
The Police video says if you touch your phone when in a cradle that is ILLEGAL [even if you are in full control of the vehicle if you are not stopped and engine off and you touch it - at all!! you are guilty.
even if you need to dial 999 it is illegal to touch you phone whilst moving [unless there isn't a safe space to park your car and call them]
YOU TOUCH IT YOU'RE DONE!!!
When I'm about to drive, I have my phone in my jeans pocket before I even open my car door and it stays there until I've either finished my journey or parked up safely.
If I ever meet someone new and we stay in contact for any length of time, I tell them that I don't answer my phone if they call me whilst I'm driving, and that I'll check the missed call once I've arrived at my destination.
I also say that if they're calling about something urgent, then call me 2 more times in quick succession so that I know the call can't wait, then I'll find somewhere to park as soon as possible and call them back right away.
The number of times people have gotten angry at me because I don't answer my phone while driving is unreal, even after I've told them the above beforehand. An ex of mine actually threatened to break up with me if I kept "ignoring" her lol. That was the moment when she became my ex (the relationship was more toxic than just that though).
Can’t you connect it to your car? If you can why on earth wouldn’t you? You probably don’t even speak to your passengers or listen to music either. Weird
I do the same haha. My mates all hate that I don't use my phone when I drive, usually because they want to ask how far I am to the destination or something similar. If I could connect my phone to my car I would probably use that, but at a minimum. Mine doesn't even have an AUX port, awful discovery haha
If you have a recent iPhone then you can set up a “focus mode” to mute all notifications. I’ve got it set up to automatically turn on when I’m using the satnav on my phone, so I can use my phone for directions but not get distracted by messages. Really helpful!
Why should it be a special mode and not default, industry standard when using satnav?
No need for an iPhone for that. Android phones have a do not disturb mode you can easily activate. On mine I can set it so that it automatically goes into driving mode (which includes do not disturb) as soon as it connects to my car's Bluetooth.
The DVSA should find more efficient ways to monitor road users who use their phones. If they invested some money into it they'd get their money back within a few weeks with thee amount of drivers i see on their phones every day
for me its simple, keep the phone tucked away, most of my journeys are only 30 mins long and there is not text or message or email etc that is important enough that needs answered, and if it urgent or that they can call me which then gets answered hands free. i have even taken the phone holder off the windscreen, phone goes in the centre column
nice that they fixed the loophole if your gps falls off, because of the vibration from unrelentingly quallity road surfaces we have, you can get fined for refixing it.
Thanks for letting your viewers know about the update.
It's nice that the law has clarified and clamped down on the loopholes, but I've always said that a more general "distracted driving" law would have covered any use of a mobile phone, camera, sat nav, radio, AC that proves distracting as well as things like hunting for sunglasses or turning around to argue with passengers. If it's distracting, if it impairs your driving, it should be illegal.
They’ve tightened it up proper and I am glad. There is no reason to be distracted by a phone whilst driving. I am at a point now where even with full Audi hands free calling, I don’t want to answer any calls either as it is still distracting. Thx Ash for the info 👍🏻🙂
From my experience, an awful lot of Audi, BMW, Merc and the like drivers don't use the cars built in tech and are quite happy to have their phones in their hands
Thanks for the video of the contactless payment. I always sturrgle. Most times i end up just throwing my phone at the person.
🤔
@@onlyonewhyphy Well it is a complicated process.
I'll never understand people who use their phones while driving. I have my phone in a cradle for sat nav and for bluetooth music and I can't stress enough just how easy it is to set it all up before you start driving or to pull over if needed.
sensible. I use the phone for navigation and as music source.
I still see people every day using their phones, especially women in SUV vehicles. I notice that they DON'T use their indicators as well.
Good. Thank you for the clarification on cradles. Exactly answers a question I had.
Just thought I'd point out that BlackBeltBarrister often mentions how good you are! :-)
Well done for lawmakers in the UK. Here it is legal to use your phone if you are standing still e.g in front of a traficlight. I think that is stupid. It often creates situations where people don't see that the light turned green.
They also are not aware of cyclists or pedestrians around them, so when they miss the green and get beeped from behind, they take off unsafely.
There is strong evidence that a driver's concentration can be affected by a phone call for up to 10 minutes after the call has ended.
@@chrispop99 I agree Chris, and in a country where there are more bikes then people as there are in mine, the UK laws as I understand it, should be followed by our government.
No, if you're parked safely. Being sat waiting at lights isn't parked.
@@ZJS0113 I Agree, but I was talking about the Netherlands here
@@PatrickBijvoet i thought you meant the uk. I hear the netherlands has a good standard of driving like germany
thanks for this Ashley. I've been nervous around police cars recently. Now I know that I've been observing the law all the time.
My wife actually told me about this and i was shocked that this is not how it was already.
It seems most of the recent changes to the HC were really just common sense updates to the wording / clarification. I always acted this way as explained by Ashley in this video ever since I got my license. I, too, am surprised it wasn't exactly like this before. I guess the rules didn't change for me at all. And I'm glad to read so many think the same way. Drive safe guys! 😉
@Ambose. Agreed mate. The law always lags way behind advances in technology and/or what society deems acceptable.
@@wileywilson yeah seems more like closing loopholes
Thanks for this guidance. I was surprised that you can still operate a phone if it’s in a cradle. I feel quite lucky in that I changed my factory stereo to a double din Pioneer headunit that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and if I need to use Google maps, I can just press search and speak my destination before driving. I must admit, if it’s a fairly long journey, and whilst driving, Google maps may find a quicker journey avoiding traffic, I will click “Accept” but that’s pretty much the only time I’ll mess with the screen. I have steering controls which I can change volume with and also tracks from MP3 although if using maps it’s difficult to know what the next track will be as cannot see on display other than to look at the MP3 player.
Thanks for letting me know. If I didn't watch your video, I wouldn't know. I'm not using phone while driving, but sometimes I touch SAT NAV device to change something etc.
That hits home, I've never done and will never drive with any alcohol, even to the point where my mom thought I was a bit extreme recently LOL
I really try to not use my phone, but ive sometimes unlocked it with my finger and passed it to my passenger, or slowly started a playlist (one click at a time, then eyes back on road again untill the next inverval I think its semi 'safe')
I will remember these rules, and from now on if I forget my playlist, ill find a space to park and do it that way.
- And if you're the passenger and the driver wants to use his phone, immediately ask kindly to take the phone and do what he/she wanted to do on the phone, its probably just a different playlist or adding a petrol station to the navigation.
- Its not illegal to talk whilst in the car, so learn how to talk to google maps or even to your car: in modern cars you can sometimes say "hey VW", or "hey Mazda" ...
(those 2 points could have been included in the video)
I prefer to do it while stopped at a traffic light or stop by the side of the road (on a legal parking spot of course). It’s safer that way
@@T-y-39 not necessarily any safer at traffic lights
@@bearwynn Yea, but I forgot to mention the density. if it's a lot of traffic and the roads are crowded, I'll take a quick second at it. if not a lot? I won't bother.
Even then I'll never touch my phone behind the wheel anyway.
And I forgot to add that I'd only touch my phone if there was an emergency, thats it.
To put things in perspective, I managed to live for the first forty years of my life without a mobile phone. It's actually quite easy to turn the damned thing off, try it, you'll find it can be really satisfying.
Well you lived for a few years without a toilet as well…
@@JohnR31415 Do you need your mobile phone to go to the toilet?
I lived the first 19yrs of my life without even a House phone!
Methinks I’m a tad older, and agree 100%
Fully agree mate and I'm only 34, there is hope for some people, not most but some.
Well working in an environment where I’ve been told to keep it in a locker and ignoring that advice has potentially saved my life, I’ve had to ring 999 on a number of occasions so what utter nonsense
My new Astra has Apple Airplay, so I brought a new iPhone 13 pro to use the media system as my satnav and music centre, the thing that used to annoy me about Google maps was the alerts about changes and having to tap the accept or decline button otherwise it would stop navigation. The Airplay just works, Spotify shows up and plays what I want and I can even change with my voice, the steering wheel has volume controls and skip buttons so there is no need to have the phone on display.
Another grey area is two-way radio, it is not illegal to use it whilst driving, but you can be 'done' for dangerous driving, or without due care etc.
The new mobile phone rules do not apply to 2 way radio, you are correct that other legislation still applies.
@@shardlake Why not? It’s a device that sends and receives data?
@@jcskyknight2222 Because The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2003 Paragraph 2 subsection 6d says they are not included.
@@shardlake So it is covered elsewhere, good 🙂
@@jcskyknight2222 It is covered by other legislation, although specifically excluded from the new mobile phone laws.
For me, phone stays in my pocket for the whole journey unless I'm using it as a sat nav, in which case it sits in it's cradle. Don't even touch it, it's not worth it.
I don't even particularly like changing radio station or looking at the trip computer whilst driving because I think that as distractions go, they're just as bad.
So you don’t de mist? You don’t look at what speed you’re doing? Don’t change gear? Don’t open the window? Lmao stfu driving is all about multi tasking stop being so extreme
I would all so like to point out that the cradle shouldn't be stuck to the windscreen blocking your view. Too many people have a massive phone right in front of there eyes when driving.
Anything that distracts you from driving can result in a RTC. Some of the in-car tech is worse than a phone. I would far prefer to see a "back to basics" approach. There were far fewer incidents when all you had was a radio/cassette/cd player in the vehicle.
Things are just too complex now.
about 5 years ago my community had a fatal crash when a teen driver reached down to grab a CD and caromed off a guardrail, slamming into an oncoming car.
the deciding factor was not the tech level of the distractions, it is the susceptibility fo the driver to driving distracted, and the density of people their distraction has the potential to affect.
@@kenbrown2808 No argument on that score - good point to make.
@@grahamnutt8958 I guess you could say the likelihood of a distracting driving crash is the same as the likelihood of spread of a pandemic: it depends on the density of the population, and the density of the population.
@@kenbrown2808 Density.....
Population and Intelligence.
Good play on words there.
Just a sad reflection on todays Society that a lot of folk wouldn't understand your point 🤔.
Absolutely fantastic coverage, as always, Ashley! If you follow and watch 'CyclingMikey', you'll know, he's all for about road safety, just like us. He's been waiting for these updated laws to come into effect, for many, many years, now! I believe, that these rules should of came into effect, in the last five or six years.
Keep up the forever amazing & terrific hard work, you're always putting in, for everyone, here! Keep safe and drive safe! 😊👍🏻
Been watching CyclingMikey's channel for a while now. He does a great job.
I watched a few of CyclingMikey's videos recently and wondered what other viewers of Ashley's channel thought of him. I can't disagree with his principles but I don't think the way he goes about it is especially safe or productive.
It also seems odd to me that such micro-legislation is even needed. If the laws concerning driving while distracted were well crafted in the first place, you shouldn't need to specify things like whether the device is handheld or can transmit or receive data. Letter vs spirit of the law and all that.
Thanks for the updates, I hadn't even heard about them before . Great communication by the DoT again :P
I was on the M1 this morning and there was a driver swerving around in the middle of the road on their phone... luckily a few beeps sorted them out but they could've caused an accident. They kept coming into lanes 2 and 4... disgusting.
They say that having a conversation is the worst aspect, as the distraction lingers after the call finishes. I take it that the same would apply to producing video in a car and narrating on it when driving.
@ 48secs in, clarification, it's not 'any device', two way radios are still exempt from these regulations, but of course still liable to offences if not in proper control of the vehicle.
The legal definition of two way radio is:
Amendment of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 - defines a "Two way radio" as -
(d)“two-way radio” means any wireless telegraphy apparatus which is designed or adapted-
(i)for the purpose of transmitting and receiving spoken messages; and
(ii)to operate on any frequency other than 880 MHz to 915 MHz, 925 MHz to 960 MHz, 1710 MHz to 1785 MHz, 1805 MHz to 1880 MHz, 1900 MHz to 1980 MHz or 2110 MHz to 2170 MHz; and
(e)“wireless telegraphy” has the same meaning as in section 19(1) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949(2).”
I’ve been driving for over 8 years now and have never once used my phone with the engine running, it just isn’t worth it
Ironically, it's not illegal to smoke whilst driving.. or spend a journey driving along with your head turned to the passenger 'as it's impolite not to look at the person you're talking to'. Back in 1989 I had a BMW fitted with an in-car Panasonic telephone that fitted neatly on the console next to the handbrake between the two front seats but even then I used hands free (although I had to key-in the number). Since then I've driven over 1,000,000 miles (between 30 - 35k miles per year), and the only 'accidents' I've endured were caused by 1. A driver dropping their cigarette, panicking and swerving head-long into me and 2. A driver rear-ending me then admitting she was talking to her passenger and hadn't seen me stop at the traffic lights. These days my phone goes into the door pocket and connects automatically to hands free but draconian rules about having to turn off the engine before I can even touch it is just ridiculous. There will always be deaths caused by idiots in almost every walk of life but from what I experience whilst driving, more than anything else, is a general lack of driver awareness. I think all cars should be fitted with dashcams. I have them in my vehicles and they have definitely helped moderate my own driving as well as recently proving a road-rage incident - that video is coming soon.
In Australia the rule is that you are not allowed to touch any mobile device (phone, tablet, laptop etc) while driving regardless of the function you are using it for. An exception is made for hardwired UHF radios and Taxi terminals.
Nice and clear as ever, although the "What if" brigade will arrive in force :)
Thank you
Can I be a bit picky... 0:50 'any device... is illegal to use'. No. it's illegal TO HOLD and use.... and I think _that_ is where the confusion is creeping in, judging by the queries below. it is not illegal to 'use' a phone, via touch-screen or voice, for any of its functions, so long as the phone is not 'held' in your hand (i.e. its in a cradle or mount of some sort). i.e. choosing a song on a phone is no different to changing the radio station. Both should be done without affecting 'due care and attention'... but it's clearly easier to convict a 'hold'. Thoughts?
I was certainly interested in this because i'm a private hire driver and the meter we use is on our phones via an app, it holds the pick up, drop off and all the other information so even though most of the time you can perform functions on it whilst being stationary there are times that i have to touch it while driving, for example, i'm driving down a busy road with nowhere to pull over and i recieve a job, i have to swipe across the screen to accept a job and i only have a limited amount of time to do so unti the job is rejected so pulling over every time is just not viable.
I do have it in a cradle but i still need to touch it, luckily most of the functions on there that i would need while driving and not things that i really have to look at the screen for, most of it is just swiping so i can keep my eyes on the road while i do it.
The suggestion of use as its attached to a cradle is probably how you should treat your big screens in modern day cars too. There's a lot going on. VW don't actually install a big screen on the Up! instead installing a cradle so you can use your phone in place of one, and others are doing the same.
One issue I have is that I can't connect my phone to Android Auto until the car is switched on, so I have to turn the car on, then handle the phone to connect the cable, then leave it alone. I believe the letter of the law doesn't allow this, but it's really not obvious what "safely parked" means in this case. Given I have an EV that doesn't have an engine to start either, it's even less clear.
Never use my phone when I'm on the road. If it rings. I ignore it till I get home then speak to them. I keep telling my work or my family if my phone isn't answered is because I'm driving.
Its amazing how often I'm driving
Instant 12 month ban on top would be the cherry on the cake...
Maybe in future.
As people are dying due to idiots on phones, I think that even a 12 month ban is too lenient. Mandatory custodial sentences would be more appropriate. The taxi driver who killed my cousin dodged his ban by going and driving a taxi in Pakistan until his UK ban ran out, and now he's back driving a taxi in Bradford. From our viewpoint it's as if he escaped punishment altogether.
I think 12 months for a first offence is a bit high, give them a 1 month ban as a short sharp shock, that will make a lot of people think especially if they need a car for or to get to work. Then a second offence 6 months as they have not learnt their first lesson, third offence 12 months. At the moment there is very very small percentage chance of getting caught, but if they know it carries an automatic disqualification would they take that chance ? 12 months first off could mean a lot of people becoming unemployed, I know you will say it serves you right but that will affect families, It also means that their insurance is going to get a big hike when they get their licence back even after a 1 month ban.
Sounds like I can read my Kindle whilst driving then... (DON'T do this kids I am joking).
Sometimes if stopped at traffic lights i'll use my phone in its cradle mount to look further ahead on the route I'm following on Google maps, but it's important to remember to keep looking around for cyclists and motorbikes, and to be ready in good time to move off if the light turns green.
Stationary at a drive through with handbrake applied!
Hurry up and move up, i want my soggy chips
Phone use whilst driving is one of the few things I'll never change my stance on. To put it simply, it's in my pocket and it does not leave my pocket until I'm parked. I keep it as simple as that.
Great video
Thanks alot
Technically this would go for ICE touchscreens and anything in the car if it is able to access the internet. So the tesla, pressing any button on the screen while driving is an offence
Would it? Is the screen in the tesla a handheld device? I didn't think it was.
@@touringolem9657 0:43 "Any device that can send or recieve data"
ok "to hold and use"
No, because an ICE touchscreen is not hand-held.
You could still be prosecuted if your interaction with the screen causes you to be distracted, but it's not a specific offence under the mobile phone law.
@@rrp6405 same time stamp as your video. Please note the wording "to hold and use". The control panel on EVs or even some ICEs cannot be detached to be held. They are fixed in place and is a part of the controls of the car itself. A phone, tablet, camera, etc, are not.
The latest iPhones have a function on them where they know when you’re in a car, and they’ll block all app notifications as well as the usual calls & texts.
Seems a bit overkill for the passgengers
@@pocky1scot1 Well I have this function and you have to confirm you are not driving. Seems perfect to me...
@@richardhasler6718 So its a pointless function as those who don't care will not enable the function and those who enable the function wouldn't have used their phone anyway.
Clear as a bell to me .👍
I didn't realise that you can touch the phone for calls/sat-nav if its in a cradle.
A much better alternative is using voice commands with Siri/Google Assistant. At the end of a call, I'll tell the other person to "end the call as I am driving". There's always a way to minimise risk and keep eyes on the road.
My car has multi function buttons on the steering wheel this does things like turning the radio volume up down or changing music on playlists that function only let's you skip through the songs on that playlist it also let's you accept and decline phone calls via Bluetooth and use the cruise control I'm not sure what the laws are on that
long overdue
Still surprises me how many people talk on the phone while driving. If my 16 year old alfa has hands free Bluetooth I'm sure most modern cars do
Appreciate the clarification but leave it in the glovebox is not practical for millions who rely on Google maps for navigation! But I 100% agree that the phone shouldn’t be touched while driving even if in a cradle is the right course of action. If you do use your phone as a sat nav, it should be in do not disturb mode.
The moment I get in the car I ignore my phone every single time. Phones have nothing to do with driving other then get you into trouble, having your attention diverted away from driving whilst driving is a 100% recipe for disaster, avoid trouble, ignore the phone, simples. Why is the phone so important to people that they feel it more important then driving safely with full awareness? Can't use that phone when you're dead.
So what about using android auto/apple car play oe bluetooth and using the car switches to change tracks or to make/take phone calls?
Do you think manufacturers will have to start to think about how much information is available to you during driving? For example, in your Tesla the tablet is huge and it must feel tempting to be constantly checking performance and things.
I think you may be wrong about passing it to a passenger being illegal under Regulation 110; the key here word is "using" and 110 has extended "using" to include filming, unlocking, turning the light on etc but they are still interactive uses. It doesn't list any non-interactive uses such as passing it to a passenger or swatting a fly.
Australia is mostly even more strict I think
Despite the new laws IMO nothing has changed with attitudes to mobile use. The chances of getting caught are so remote. I see mobile use all the time cycling. Perhaps some hard hitting public information TV commercials may help.
Someone would get offended at the suggestion that using the phone while driving could see them kill someone presented visually like that and that would be the end of that sadly, especially with how much backlash ITV got for showing 'Contagion' at the start of the first lockdown (a movie about a virus outbreak based of a potential scenario of the SARS or MERS whatever it was called thing in the early 2000's that came from China but didn't spread as far as Covid did, amplified for movie stuff obviously, but still based on the real thing).
We used to have some great DOE adverts here in Northern Ireland for this sort of thing. I think a lot of them are here on CZcams if you're interested, they are very brutal in some cases though if you're sensitive to blood and that sort of thing.
I turn the key just enough to activate the electrics so I can set the phone up through bluetooth but once I turn the engine off I refuse to touch it unless safely parked and Engine off.
Same with satnav set first then dont touch.
Only passed a few weeks ago it's not worth the 6 points and subsequent immediate loss of licence under the 2 years of probation rules
Most modern cars from the past 12-15 years have integrated bluetooth. If not, a bluetooth kit is not that dear.
There is no excuse. Seeing people looking at their knees while driving, grinds my gears. They all deserve 6 points + fine.
I don't even like taking a call on hands free as I still believe it takes your attention away from driving. Years ago I used to chat to a work colleague during a regular 20 mile journey but despite hands free I didn't remember much of that journey, I don't do it now. There was a time when it was illegal for there to be any screens within the drivers view but now we've got built in touch screen tablets to play with while we are supposed to be errm........ Driving
Love to see it
I think the phone holders down by the gearstick are very dangerous. Lets say you are using to for navigation. You have to look far too far down to see it causing you to take your eyes off the road. I think it is far safer if it is side view mirror height. You don't have to move your head and or eyes as much to see it and it will be much faster too.
I imagine the cradle function is only allowed because modern cars require you to look away and use a touchscreen to change things like temperature settings
If you have an accident while using your phone even if it's hands free you could be prosecuted for driving without due care .if someone is seriously injured it could be dangerous driving. Best not to use it at all as for sat nav set up before you set off and leave it alone
If you kill or maim whilst driving drunk, drugged or distracted by texting or otherwise manipulating a phone or similar; then aside of any custodial and financial penalties, you should never be allowed to drive again in this country. Only when the lifetime loss of the perpetrator's driving licence is introduced in legislation and applied by the courts will hard-core offenders and those indifferent to the right to life of other people consider their selfish behaviour because of its effects and affects upon themselves.
Good info 👏
"If you hold and use" - So my sat nav is mounted on my motorcycle. I assume that this setup is classed as a "cradle". The route should be set in advance and the only interaction allowed is if you pull over on your journey. Is that correct?
I think you're allowed to interact because it's in a cradle, but Ashley was just making it clear that it's unwise to do so on a safety standpoint. I had the same concerns as you on my bike, especially when Google tries to change your route mid ride and forces you to opt out of the change by touching the screen. Never understood that, why not just make it opt in instead.
Some cars have SIM cards for data transmission and most modern cars have GPS for SAT NAV. The mere fact that the large display built into the dash isn't portable, makes it legal to be tapping and swiping away on a CarPlay interface, for example, which has similar functionality to a phone. I don't understand this logic.
My phone is also my satnav when going anywhere new, when its a satnav its just that and not touched.
I drive a 3 door car. I always put my phone on the back seats when I drive.
Great video, and useful to hear about the cradle. As an aside, what's the car phone mount you use? Looks very handy especially at drive-thrus!
Where would a smart watch come into this? It can be used to receive and send a text message and change music/playlists but its not handheld so its kind of in the grey area. Thoughts.
It would be classed as a handheld device, if you are pressing buttons on it or touching the screen it is no different to using a handheld device and probably worse as you will divert more attention to looking at the watch as the display is so small.
A few years ago, the Victoria Police (here in Australia) posted this on Facebook
When using a fast-food outlet's drive-thru service, can use my phone to pay?
Stay tuned for the answer later this afternoon.
The moment you've all been waiting for... A: No. Using a handheld mobile phone while driving carries a $484 fine and accrue 4 demerit points. lf you intend to use your mobile phone to pay at the drive-thru window, apply the hand brake, switch the engine off and then access your mobile phone. In doing so, you are not considered driving.
Well the public went into a little bit of an uproar with people citing what if the police ask for your licence (which some states have digital licences)
Other pointed out it is illegal to have body parts hanging out the windows (example paying with cash)
VIC Police backpedalling said that they would encourage police officers to use their discretion
What about hands free systems in general? Rather than just leave it in the glove box, Use your hands free to make and receive calls (if you have to), Use the music player etc.... Right?
My phone goes in my top box, with my earplugs in and my helmet on I wouldn't even know if it had rung while I was travelling.