Following changes on 25 March 2022, motorists are breaking the law if they use a handheld mobile phone behind the wheel for any use. This includes taking photos or videos, scrolling through music playlists, using streaming services, or playing games.
What are the new mobile phone driving laws?
It’s now illegal, for any reason, to hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any handheld device that can send or receive data, while driving or riding a motorcycle. The law still applies if a driver is stopped at traffic lights, queuing in traffic, supervising a learner driver, or using a car that has a start/stop engine when you're not moving.
Should any driver break the law, they can get up to 6 penalty points and a £200 fine. They could also lose their licence if they passed their driving test within the last 2 years.
Drivers can get a further 3 penalty points if they do not have a full view of the road and traffic ahead or proper control of the vehicle if they are using a handheld device. Offenders can also be taken to court where they can be banned from driving and receive a maximum fine of £1,000.
Hands-free phone use: the law
To use your phone for communication you must have hands-free access. Any hands-free devices should be fully set up before you drive, so you can take calls without handling the device. Any device must not block the view of the road.
The police still have the power to stop you if they believe you have been distracted by using a mobile phone while driving, even if it’s fully hands-free.
Using a phone as a sat-nav: the law
It is no excuse to say you’re simply following a map on your phone and that's why you've picked it up.
If you wish to use an app for directions you should fix the phone to the windscreen or dashboard, so it’s in clear view while driving (but not obstructing your view), without requiring you to hold or interact with it.
Can I use my phone while driving if I’m not moving?
Contrary to what many drivers seem to think, the law still applies when your vehicle is stopped at lights or in heavy traffic. If your engine is running, your phone shouldn’t be in your hands. This is still the case if the engine stops automatically to save fuel (called 'start-stop technology’).
To use your phone while your car is stationary you should only use hands-free technology.
Using hands-free phone kits is currently legal in the UK, although police still have the right to penalise any hands-free user they think is being distracted and isn’t in control of their vehicle.
Could I lose my licence for using a phone?
If a new driver (someone who has held a licence for less than two years) is caught using a hand-held device behind the wheel, they will lose their licence. Drivers are only allowed to clock up six penalty points in their first two years of driving, rather than the normal 12.
More experienced motorists can lose their licence if they receive 12 points in a three-year period – so just two mobile phone incidents under the current law. Also, if the police feel it is a particularly extreme example of using a mobile phone behind the wheel, the driver could be taken to court. Here, the maximum fine is £2,000, and guilty drivers could face disqualification.
Motorists involved in an accident caused by using a hand-held device behind the wheel face stiff penalties too. For example, the government is considering increasing the penalty for causing death by dangerous or careless driving from 14 years to life imprisonment. A two-year driving ban is also obligatory.