Passing your driving test is a momentous day in any young person’s life. The eagerness to get out and explore the world is overwhelming, as is the desire to share it with your friends. Texting while driving has always been a serious offence, with offenders previously getting 3 points on their license and up to a £100 fine. This punishment has been doubled since the 1st March, though, with offenders now being eligible to receive 6 points on their license and up to a £200 fine.
The punishment becomes more severe if you’re a new driver, though. New drivers who receive more than 6 points must retake their practical and theory test. That means that being caught using your mobile once will mean losing your license and having to go through that whole arduous process again!
That doesn’t mean that you can’t have your phone in the car, though. As long as it’s in a cradle, you can listen to music or podcasts on your daily commute. It’s important to mention, though, that you cannot watch video clips, play games, or have video conversations with someone. Basically, anything that distracts your attention from the road can be viewed as illegal and will result in receiving 6 points on your license.
Some of you might be wondering: what’s brought this new law about? Around 20 fatalities a year are attributed to mobile phone use in the UK. This figure coincides with several high-profile incidents, such as a lorry driver killing a mother and 3 children due to being distracted by his phone on the A34.
The distraction caused by a mobile phone when at the wheel cannot be understated. Take a look at this video by Responsible Young Driver’s Belgium, which shows footage of people attempting to drive while texting.
Driving while using your phone is dangerous. It may seem like an old adage but whatever you need to do on your mobile, it’s not important enough to risk your’s and other people’s lives to do it while you’re driving.
This is especially true for new drivers. We all know that feeling of having just passed your test. It’s exciting and exhilarating and you want to share it with the world but wait until you’re out of the car. It’s not worth losing your license over, and it’s definitely not worth risking lives over.
