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Mobile law change
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Hauliers who allow their drivers to use handheld mobile phones while driving could face prosecution under new government proposals.
The Department for Transport has launched a consultation into making the use of handheld phones while driving a specific offence, with drivers found in breach of the law facing a 130 fixed penalty or a court-imposed fine of up to £1,000.
However, workers could escape prosecution if they can prove that their employer had expected them to take or make calls while on the road.
Road safety minister David Jamieson says: "This should leave no-one in doubt that we are serious about the dangers that this practice presents to drivers and all road users."
Road Haulage Association chief executive Roger King welcomes the proposal but argues that where a company has trained its drivers on the use of handsfree telephones the employer should not be liable for any consequent misuse.
Christine Lambert, operations director at Beamish Transport, says that this is yet another cost for the haulier: "It will have an immense affect on our business as it is the only way we can communicate with drivers.
"It will probably
13,000 to install hands-free kits in our trucks if this goes ahead.
"We will just have to make better use of our satellite equipment, but we still need to give directions over the phone, It seems a bit unreasonable not to allow their use in traffic jams when some of our drivers can be stuck in queues for five hours," Road safety campaign group Brake says it will continue to push for a ban on all phones, whether handheld or handsfree.
in February 2001 driver Paul Browning was jailed for five years for mowing down and killing two people while using his mobile phone to send a text message (CM 22-28 February 2001).