JPs want fines for drivers who use phones
By Philip Johnston, Home Affairs Editor
(Filed: 23/07/2001)
MOTORISTS using their mobile phones while driving would get a £60 fine and three penalty points under plans being put forward by magistrates.
The Magistrates' Association, which represents 30,000 JPs, is pressing the Home Office to introduce new penalties aimed at reducing the growing number of accidents allegedly involving mobile phone users.
Up to a dozen road deaths have been attributed to drivers being distracted while on phones. Arthur Winnington, chairman of the association's road traffic committee, said there should be a dedicated offence and penalty to emphasise the seriousness of the problem.
He said: "It would not be long before people gave up telephoning while driving because with a couple of speeding offences on top they would pretty soon be off the road. How many people have to die before we get the simple remedy of a specific charge?"
Police are opposed to the proposed fixed penalty, but Mr Winnington said the risk of being fined had worked in enforcing the compulsory wearing of seat-belts. He added: "What is the difference? Magistrates want something doing about this. It is frustrating."
An AA spokesman said motorists should face a fixed penalty for not having proper control of a vehicle, something that would cover other distractions, such as eating or even smoking, as well as using a phone.
The Association of Chief Police Officers said existing laws relating to careless driving and driving without having proper control were sufficient and new offences were not needed.
A spokesman said: "We disagree about the need for a change in the law. We think the issue is already covered.
"The odds are quite long of a policeman seeing somebody doing this. We would not want to introduce a law that would fall into disrepute because it would very rarely be detected. It would lose its deterrent effect."
However, the law on using mobile phones while driving is far from clear and both police and motorists are often confused about when they can use a mobile phone while driving.
Last year, the RAC Foundation urged the Government to consider an outright ban on the use of handheld phones by motorists while driving, though it said careful use of hands-free systems should continue to be legal.
There is no law which specifically bans the use of mobile phones in moving vehicles. Police can, however, charge a motorist with failing to exercise proper control of a vehicle or with careless, dangerous, or reckless driving.
In the most serious cases, drivers can be summonsed for causing death by dangerous driving. A conviction carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail, an unlimited fine, disqualification for one year and a mandatory re-test.
The number of people successfully prosecuted for mobile phone offences is so small that the Home Office does not keep separate figures
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How many police officers have been prosecuted for using a hand held radio mike whilst driving. Anyone care to guess at the answer?
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I'd guess at a very round number.
Recall seeing Humberside traffic unit in an Escort Cossie no less(!) with headsets, rally style headset and boom mike so they could continue communications with HQ & Helicopter during a pursuit. Think today they use Scoobies prepared by Prodrive.
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HELLO ? HELLO? No I'm driving, DRIVING ........ yeah it's rubbish , total rubbish.....
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somebody should bring a private prosecution against them for this...
the evidence is already there on your average cop documentary...
I'll put a fiver in the fighting fund...
not to mention dog van drivers chasing performance cars way beyond their own ability to control the van safely... etc...
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All right then instead of picking just on the police what about taxi drivers especially mini cab drivers, now there you have some *BAD* drivers who are on the radio. and round here go through on red lights, not just a bit red but RED! Selective vision you lot!
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the point is the police are there to do this job, and should for instance be sorting out the worst abuses by taxi drivers when driving dangerously...
the fact that they are not should be put to them...
as to c**p driving by the police they seem to get away with it, only one copper has ever being locked up for killing someone on the road, and you should read about the pain and anguish the victims families had to got through to get that justice...
and more importantly the senior mangers of the police service by not installing hands free kits are heavily responsible, and by letting the driving standards slip so low, even the police federation are complaining about the drop in quality/rigour of driving training...
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Why is there a sudden outbreak of posting under silly names and emails?
Personally don't mind it if it adds to a post which is basically making a joke, and guilty of that myself on several occasions, but if a comment is to be taken seriously.........?
Incidentally I agree with the comment about hands free kits & police feds attitude on quality of advanced driver training.
But to get away from the police don't you think journalists have a lot to answer for? Take all that stupidity in Top Gear et al on disused airfields using driving techniques which have no place on the road or in competition, unless its one to get the biggest slide with the most tyre smoke. Then I was reading a bike magazine the other day which had an article more or less on how to get from being a nervous novice to getting your knee down in the bends in four easy stages. Really!
Just my two pennorth.
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