From 2021 in the UK, drivers will be prohibited from picking up their phones while driving. With a wireless headset or while parking, the smartphone can still be used, the British government said in a statement.
Previously, the so-called “interactive communication” by telephone during road traffic was expressly prohibited. Therefore, for example, photographing or even mobile games were not considered violations until now.
At the same time, people behind the wheel are allowed to use a smartphone via a wireless headset or voice commands, as well as for navigation – but only if the phone is in a special holder.
The use of a smartphone during stops or in traffic jams and for driver-instructors sitting in the front passenger seat will be considered a violation. But when parking, for payment at drive-in-cash desks and in the event of a call to the police or an ambulance, the ban will not apply.
Drivers will be fined 200 pounds sterling (7,330 hryvnia) for using a smartphone while driving, and if the driver passed the test less than two years ago, they will also take away the driver’s license.
If the case goes to court, the fine could rise to thousands of pounds (up to 2500 for bus and truck drivers), and the ban on driving could become permanent.
The ban will take effect from early 2021 after a 12-week public comment period.
