DRIVING TIP
NUMBER 16
18 April 2008
AVOID A FINE ON YOUR PHONE
News that a car insurance company has decided to penalise drivers with points on their licence from a hand-held mobile phone offence is an excellent development, according to road safety experts at the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists).
It raises some interesting issues, too: does three points on your licence because you committed a hand-held mobile phone offence make you more dangerous as a risk than three points for a “routine” speeding offence?
The answer, according to Allianz, is definitely yes. They describe the hand-held phone offence as a “dangerous and needless act”.
So now those who persist with this dangerous hand-held habit will suffer the triple whammy: a finepoints on their licence, and an increase in the insurance premium when they renew.
It is now more than a year since the tougher penalties for hand-held mobile phone use were introduced. The Department for Transport (DfT) has said 185,000 drivers were caught using hand held phones in 2007.
But the offence continues: according to Allianz, ten per cent of motorists admitted in a survey to using their mobile without a hands-free kit while they were behind the wheel.
The tougher penalty is now a doubled fine, from £30 to £60, with three penalty points.
There has never been a better time to invest in a Bluetooth hands-free kit, which are widely available at less than £30. Put bluntly, that’s less than half the cost of the fine if you are caught.
By making sure that your Bluetooth hands-free kit is always in the car and charged you will be able to keep your phone on while driving, without running the risk of committing a hand-held offence. However, there is an important caveat here. Even when you have the hands-free habit, use it with care. Remember, even hands-free conversations are a major distraction, putting you and other road users at risk.
But with a Bluetooth on, you can make a point of telling callers that you are driving, and find somewhere legal, safe and convenient to pull over and continue your conversation.
ENDS
349 words
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Issued by the IAM Press Office, telephone 020 8996 9625.We have an ISDN line for interviews.
2. The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) directly influences the driving and riding of more than 160,000 road users a year (full members, associates and commercial clients) in the UK and Ireland. Established in 1956, the IAM is today best known for the advanced driving test and the advanced driving course. The IAM has grown to become the UK’s leading road safety charity, dedicated to raising driving standards, engaging with the road-using public and influencing road safety policy. IAM Fleet, the corporate arm of the IAM, has two subsidiary companies, Drive & Survive and Fleet Ireland. It also operates IAM Pro-Drive.
3. A 2006 report by Brunel University, following an 18 month study, concluded that “advanced driver training produces safer drivers and lower accident involvement”, with measurable improvements in knowledge, skills and attitude. The “Driving Tips” provided by the IAM are part of our broader road safety mission and not intended as a substitute for the advanced driving course.
4. In January 2007, the IAM Motoring Trust was established as the research and advocacy arm of the IAM. The IAM Motoring Trust will undertake research, promote practical policies, act as an advocate for safer roads, safer drivers and safer vehicles and encourage responsible motoring through education and training
