Everyone should know that using a mobile phone while you are driving is illegal. We have all had situations where we have been driving and our phone has rung. But it is what we do in that instance that divides us into law abiding people and those who are willing to break the law – and possibly cause harm to other people as a result.
Every year people have accidents – some minor, some unfortunately major – which are found to have been caused by the fact that one driver was on their mobile phone. It always seems to be the case that the driver responsible walks away without a scratch – while the innocent people in the situation are not so lucky.
But whether this is the case or not, it is certainly the case that people are still breaking the law when it comes to driving and using their mobiles in some way. You will know that if you text someone you need to be focusing on the phone in order to compose your text correctly and then send it. So how on earth can someone manage to do that and drive at the same time?
The answer is blatantly obvious – it cannot be done. Most of us would simply pull over if we needed to text someone, or if we received an incoming call that we needed to take. It is prudent to pull in somewhere safe and put your hazard warning lights on if necessary. But it is certainly not prudent to answer the phone before it stops ringing – regardless of where you are. You must make sure you have pulled over and you are safe first before you answer the phone – even if it means ringing that person back.
Police in Epping Forest in Essex – as well as several other key places in the county – are aiming to tackle this problem head on. They are setting up check points in specific locations so that they can monitor whether or not people are using their mobile phones while they are driving. If they are they will be pulled over and fined as a result.
Of course the safety aspect of using your phone while driving is the most important thing of all. But with that said there are some hefty penalties in store if you are caught offending in this manner. For starters you can expect a fine and three points put onto your driving licence. This isn’t good news at any rate, but of course this applies purely if you are caught.
If you should cause an accident while you are using your mobile, you can expect far harsher penalties for doing so. But besides this, could you really live with yourself if you caused such an accident and harmed the lives of other people?
In the end, none of us could. That is why this plan from Essex Police is such a good idea. Let’s hope it is repeated across other areas of the country as well, so we can see a reduction in this offence.