Tougher penalties have been introduced for texting while driving and are very welcome in my opinion.
It baffles me why anyone would think it is a good idea to be typing a message whilst driving in the first place, but it seems plenty of people do.
You wouldn’t sit at the wheel with your laptop trying to send emails would you (I hope not). So why do people feel it is safe to be looking down at their phone?
New rules have doubled the penalty for this crime from three points on the licence to six, with a £200 fine. This means drivers who are within two years of passing their test will also have to retake to get their licence back.
The Department for Transport explains: “Studies show that drivers using a hands-free or handheld mobile phone are slower at recognising and reacting to hazards.
“Even careful drivers can be distracted by a call or text – and a split-second lapse in concentration could result in a crash.”
Advice is to put your mobile phone away in a glove compartment or in a bag in the back of your car out of the way, so you can’t be tempted.
For anyone out there tempted to send a quick text while they are at the wheel, think about it like this: a vehicle is basically a lethal weapon in your hands and your decisions on how you use it affects lives. What text is so urgent or important that you can’t wait a few extra minutes to send?
Come on everyone, we all spend far too much time looking down at those tiny screens as it is. Think of your driving time as important screen-free time.
http://think.direct.gov.uk/mobile-phones.html