1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152 
Mobiles immobilised
Page 12
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• by Jennifer Ball The Irish government has introduced measures to ban the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving, leading to calls for the UK to follow suit.
Drivers who are found in breach of the law will now face a maximum penalty of €435 (£269) and/or up to three months' imprisonment on their third offence.
"There is widespread concern among the pubic about the practice and it is inherently dangerous," says Irish Road Safety Minister Robert Molloy. "While mobile phones are a boon for many people on the move, the safety of road users simply has to come first."
Handheld CO radios, twoway private radio systems, walkie-talkies and similar equipment are also covered by the ban. However, hands-free kits are exempt to enable emergency services, taxis and other public services to communicate. Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. says: "Many countnes in Europe and around the world have introduced a ban in the interests of road safety: we hope the UK follows Ireland's example very soon."
A bill has been introduced by Janet Anderson, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, calling for a ban on drivers using mobile phones while at the wheel in the UK. It will have its second reading next month.
The news comes as research carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory indicates that using a phone while driving is more dangerous than being over the alcohol limit behind the wheel. The study found that drivers' reaction times were an average of 30% slower when talking on a mobile phone when compared with being drunk: and nearly slower than under normal driving conduces.
• Although there is no specific offence of driving while using a mobile phone in the UK. drivers could be charged with related offences, such as driving without due care and attention.