UK updates laws banning iPhone use while driving

AppleInsider

The government of the United Kingdom is updating its laws about using mobile devices while driving, closing loopholes that enabled some iPhone users to still use their smartphone behind the wheel for filming videos and other reasons.

Using an iPhone while driving is generally a bad idea. [Lisa Fotios/Pexels]

The UK, like many other countries, has laws that try to prevent drivers from using smartphones and other devices while at the wheel, to minimize the number of distractions. While existing laws have helped cut down on mobile usage, there are still some that manage to get away with it due to the law's wording.

In a law change that will be enacted in 2021, the BBC reports drivers won't be able to pick up and use a mobile phone or satellite navigation system while driving. Drivers caught breaking the rules will have six penalty points applied on their driving license, and a 200 ($258) fine, with a loss of the license possible if the driver passed their driving test within the previous two years.

The law change is due to a loophole in the wording of existing laws that make it illegal to use a device "which performs an interactive communication" while driving, which is taken to mean phone calls and messaging systems. As smartphones can be used for many other purposes, this enabled some drivers to get around the law and escape prosecution.

For example, one man was found guilty of using his smartphone to film a car accident in North London in 2018, and was convicted in 2019. The man then went on to successfully appeal the ruling due to using it as a camera, which wasn't technically against the law.

High Court judges criticized the 16-year-old law following the ruling, which prompted a reexamination and an update.

Under the new law, drivers in the UK will still be permitted to use their iPhones, but will have to do so using existing hands-free methods, such as Bluetooth systems or placing the iPhone in a holster. In some cases, such as using an iPhone to pay for goods at a drive-thru restaurant, it would be permitted to hand-hold an iPhone, provided the user is safely parked beforehand.

MplsP

Yet another case of laws not keeping up with technology, combined with the fact that legislators are not always the most technically adept. 

Up until a few years ago, Minnesota law was such that it was illegal to send a text even if you were stoped at a stoplight, and sending or reading a text with CarPlay was also illegal, yet holding the phone between your ear and shoulder so you couldn’t turn your head while you were trying to back out of a parking spot with shopping carts and pedestrians all over the place was somehow legal. 

indiekiduk

They'll have to update the law in another 16 years to clarify what a holster is.

r3id

It’s not just iPhones, it will be all phones. It will be interesting to see what’s included in these new laws, such as CarPlay, Android Auto, GPS devices etc.

They all do the same as mobile phones and can distract a driver. 

GeorgeBMac

My AppleWatch has really cut down on the need to access my phone -- including while driving.

One of its nice surprises was how I can use the watch to control the music from the car stereo.

And, for texting, its fairly simple to respond by scrolling down to send an "OK".

It's quick, easy and minimizes distraction and removing one's hands from the wheel (I can't do one-handed typing).

darkvader

indiekiduk said:

They'll have to update the law in another 16 years to clarify what a holster is.

In another 16 years it won't matter because you'll be able to tell the car to take over driving.

mac_dog

I see nothing wrong with this. Yeah, they’ll have to revisit this when we have self-driving cars, but until then, I think the penalties need to be much higher for motorists looking at their phones—even while stopped in traffic. Speaking into voice assistant’s isn’t perfect, so until then, as far as I’m concerned, it’s the same thing. 

More and more, we have bad drivers in the road, and devoting less and less attention to the road makes it much worse for everyone else. 

Alaska has fines of $50k for texting/being on your phone while driving. Awesome! I wish California did this.

A lot of you think this is much too restrictive. I bet you’d change your mind if your were the person involved in an accident and lost someone, or having to be the defendant in civilian court. 

Deal with it. 

gregoriusm

I think this law is excellent. Helps with safety and is not heavy handed. I like that they even thought of drive-thrus. 

And no, I am not on board with the person above who thinks it’s okay to grab your phone and use it at stop lights. Watch for the light to change and be aware of what is happening around you. 

CloudTalkin

mac_dog said:

I see nothing wrong with this. Yeah, they’ll have to revisit this when we have self-driving cars, but until then, I think the penalties need to be much higher for motorists looking at their phones—even while stopped in traffic. Speaking into voice assistant’s isn’t perfect, so until then, as far as I’m concerned, it’s the same thing. 

More and more, we have bad drivers in the road, and devoting less and less attention to the road makes it much worse for everyone else. 

Alaska has fines of $50k for texting/being on your phone while driving. Awesome! I wish California did this.

A lot of you think this is much too restrictive. I bet you’d change your mind if your were the person involved in an accident and lost someone, or having to be the defendant in civilian court. 

Deal with it. 

Yours is the 2nd comment I've seen that says the law will have to be revisited when we have self-driving cars.  Why?  The laws as written prohibit interacting with the phone while you (human) are driving.  In your self-driving hypothetical, the car will be driving, not you.  There'd be no need to revisit the law.  In that same hypothetical, if the human took over driving responsibilities the law would be in effect during the human driving period.  Until we have full autonomous driving we can keep making driving while distracted laws as strenuous as need be to discourage the use of devices while driving.  

appleexpat

Just need to use a great smartphone holder. The sun visor mount one from iGoSmart-Pro is great for calls and the air vent and suction cup pad ones are great for navigation use. Smartphone should never be in hand while driving 

GeorgeBMac

appleexpat said:

Just need to use a great smartphone holder. The sun visor mount one from iGoSmart-Pro is great for calls and the air vent and suction cup pad ones are great for navigation use. Smartphone should never be in hand while driving 

Just a warning on the vent holders:   back before iPhones were around I mounted a TomTom GPS there for navigation but ended up breaking the plastic panes on the vent.   Vents weren't made to put up with the forces an phone puts on the them.

rob53

And of course it's still legal, or at least people aren't stopped for, holding a dog in their lap, drinking a huge Diet Pepsi, smoking, drinking coffee, or eating a burger or the worst, shaving and putting on makeup. The double standard comes up when you see police playing with their computer while driving. Laws like this are seldomly applied consistently just like all laws. This makes it difficult for people to follow any of them.

charlesatlas

MplsP said:

Yet another case of laws not keeping up with technology, combined with the fact that legislators are not always the most technically adept.

Laws are a poor substitute for common sense and ethics.

MplsP

charlesatlas said:

MplsP said:

Yet another case of laws not keeping up with technology, combined with the fact that legislators are not always the most technically adept.

Laws are a poor substitute for common sense and ethics.

I completely agree. The problem is you can't throw someone in jail or revoke their license for a lack of common sense, and there are many people who use the letter of the law to get out of penalties. Look at the man in the article, or even George B, above, who admits he looks away from driving enough to read a text on his watch, scroll up and select a response. Maybe not illegal, but really no different from doing it on your phone.

MplsP

GeorgeBMac said:

My AppleWatch has really cut down on the need to access my phone -- including while driving.

One of its nice surprises was how I can use the watch to control the music from the car stereo.

And, for texting, its fairly simple to respond by scrolling down to send an "OK".

It's quick, easy and minimizes distraction and removing one's hands from the wheel (I can't do one-handed typing).

And how is that any different from doing it on your phone? The time required and the amount of distraction is really the same.

GeorgeBMac

MplsP said:

charlesatlas said:

MplsP said:

Yet another case of laws not keeping up with technology, combined with the fact that legislators are not always the most technically adept.

Laws are a poor substitute for common sense and ethics.

I completely agree. The problem is you can't throw someone in jail or revoke their license for a lack of common sense, and there are many people who use the letter of the law to get out of penalties. Look at the man in the article, or even George B, above, who admits he looks away from driving enough to read a text on his watch, scroll up and select a response. Maybe not illegal, but really no different from doing it on your phone.

LOL.... My point was that using the Apple Watch is a LOT different than using your phone.  A LOT.   Not fool proof of course.  But much, much quicker and safer.

You might want to invest in some reading lessons.

GeorgeBMac

MplsP said:

GeorgeBMac said:

My AppleWatch has really cut down on the need to access my phone -- including while driving.

One of its nice surprises was how I can use the watch to control the music from the car stereo.

And, for texting, its fairly simple to respond by scrolling down to send an "OK".

It's quick, easy and minimizes distraction and removing one's hands from the wheel (I can't do one-handed typing).

And how is that any different from doing it on your phone? The time required and the amount of distraction is really the same.

No, the time is not the same.

I find it to only takes a second or too.  Far less than dealing with a phone.  Actually,  no more time than interacting with a passenger or any other typical distraction every driver faces.

The same goes for music.   Controlling music from the watch is much quicker and much safer than dealing with apple music on the phone.

darkvader

rob53 said:

And of course it's still legal, or at least people aren't stopped for, holding a dog in their lap, drinking a huge Diet Pepsi, smoking, drinking coffee, or eating a burger or the worst, shaving and putting on makeup. The double standard comes up when you see police playing with their computer while driving. Laws like this are seldomly applied consistently just like all laws. This makes it difficult for people to follow any of them.

Oh, but they generally specifically exempt the piggies from all device use laws.  Where I am, it's illegal to use a phone handset while driving - unless you're a cop, and it's illegal to text and drive - unless you're a cop.

Never mind that they're not very good drivers anyway (I don't live far from where they put all the locally wrecked pigmobiles before they get repaired or scrapped, there are a lot of them, and no, there aren't very many high speed chases here.) 

GeorgeBMac

MplsP said:

GeorgeBMac said:

My AppleWatch has really cut down on the need to access my phone -- including while driving.

One of its nice surprises was how I can use the watch to control the music from the car stereo.

And, for texting, its fairly simple to respond by scrolling down to send an "OK".

It's quick, easy and minimizes distraction and removing one's hands from the wheel (I can't do one-handed typing).

And how is that any different from doing it on your phone? The time required and the amount of distraction is really the same.

Actually, having just gotten back from a drive, I was able to think through using the AppleWatch in more detail.

In addition to it being just a very quick glance (as I mentioned previously), the watch stays in you line of sight.   it's really not much different than glancing down at the speedometer.  Actually, its better because you're not glancing down at all --- your eyes are still directed straight ahead through the windshield.  The only thing that changes is your focus (and then only for a second or two) and your peripheral vision remains on the road..

So, in that respect, using the Apple Watch is probably safer than adjusting heat or A/C,  using the radio (or car play), and far better than reaching down for your phone and messing with it -- which takes your eyes and your attention completely off the road.

exceptionhandler

In a law change that will be enacted in 2021, the BBC reports drivers won't be able to pick up and use a mobile phone or satellite navigation system while driving.

The bolded is what I have issue with.  How do you know where you are going?  I suppose we all have to go back to the MapQuest days where we print out our directions, and then look down at the paper And fumble through pages instead... because that’s totally not more distracting...

GeorgeBMac

exceptionhandler said:

In a law change that will be enacted in 2021, the BBC reports drivers won't be able to pick up and use a mobile phone or satellite navigation system while driving.

The bolded is what I have issue with.  How do you know where you are going?  I suppose we all have to go back to the MapQuest days where we print out our directions, and then look down at the paper And fumble through pages instead... because that’s totally not more distracting...

Yes,

And, how much different is looking at a phone vs looking at CarPlay or any of the car manufacturer's own navigation apps?

I have to wonder if this could be being driven by car manufacturers -- except the UK doesn't have any worth mentioning.   But the question stands.  In fact, it was one of the things that delayed CarPlay's implementation:  because it was essentially putting a cell phone into the dash of the car, it had to clear safety hurdles by regulators, insurers and auto manufacturers.