I read a Lorry driver was given four years recently for causing the death of a couple after his truck fell off a bridge and killed them.
It was proved he had been receiving texts before the incident.
in the previous days he had received over a hundred texts while his tacho had been recording driving.
I have started turning my mobile data off my iphone because i don’t want to receive incriminating data while using my phone in the cradle as an ipod.
when I look down in traffic I am increasingly seeing phones on peoples laps , not just women either, and its a common sight now to see the eyes down brigade, phone on knee and texting or checking tweets and facebook. entering roundabouts and coming out of side streets , i see them all.
Its ok the police increasing the fine for mobile use but fines won’t save lives , enforcement will.
Anyone have any thoughts?
The realistic only way to improve this situation is to either change driver thinking or to make the penalties so harsh that it is not worth taking the risk
I wonder how many drivers would choose to use mobiles if the penalty was destruction of the phone and an immediate statutory 3 month driving ban for example ?
Deleting phone calls and texts will still show you used the phone when the forensic team check it.
I see many Lgv drivers on hand held phones while driving.
I thought the Traffic Commisioners were cracking down on this with removal of vocational licences or plead to get it back .
We’re facing the same problem with mobile phones etc now as was faced by the “old and bold” when they banned drink driving. Every one knew it was wrong but they still did it.
Now the attitude to drink driving is totally different, until HMG do something similar to the ad campaigns etc they did with drink driving people will continue to use their phones while driving.
My phone is on silent and turned away from me when I’m driving. I do use it when I’m parked.
Drive Safe.ly is a free talk text thing which allows you to hear your text and emails through hands free.
Two Bus Drivers from Aberdeen depot within one year were sacked for texting while siting on a drivers seat. Bus was on the turning circle with engine stopped. Traffic Comissioner didn’t care about that. Unite couldn’t help them as well.
So yes. I agree. For motorists at least 500 pounds and 6 points. Once catched, second time ban like drink drivers.
rambo19:
Change the wording of the law to something like, “the use of, or handling, for any purpose”…
There’s no need, it’s already illegal to handle a phone while driving
Yes, Phone in hand for whatever reason you will get pulled even if you’re just holding it. I got tugged for picking it up to plug into headphones that were already in my ear. £80 and crash course.
Also for those who think its mainly women, out of the 80 or so on the course, there were 5 women lots of tradesmen and lorry drivers though!
It is now like a lot of driving offences cameras don’t catch them at it and physical police presence has been reduced so not much of a deterrent as many have said increase the penalties for those caught whether in cars or lorrys
I have a black box app on my phone so it’ll be recording whilst stuck to the front windscreen in a phone holder when driving so hopefully i could never be accused of texting or looking at it.
lots of tradesmen and lorry drivers though!