Using your phone while in the passenger seat could land you £200 fine in UK

Drivers in the UK could be fined £200 (Dh1,000) and get six points on their licence for using mobile phones even if they are in the passenger seat. The fine is applicable to those drivers who are supervising learner driver motorists.

Making the UK driving laws even stricter, the law applies to both professional instructors and friends or family teaching a loved one. Many in the UK are unaware that a licence holder who is not behind the wheel but is supervising a learner driver can be subjected to the same penalty for using their mobile phone as the person in control of the vehicle, industry experts were quoted as saying in Daily Mail.

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Research, said, "Supervising a learner actually puts you in the driving seat so legally you must treat it in the same way as if you were behind the wheel."

Using a mobile phone while driving has been prohibited since December 2003, but on 1 March, 2017, stricter sanctions were introduced for those caught breaking the rules and the fine and punishment was doubled to six penalty points on your licence, and a £200 fine.

Under the new rules, new drivers can have their licence fully revoked if they get six points in their first two years, instead of the previous 12. Despite the tough laws, in 2017 about 30,000 were caught for the using mobile phones while driving.

Experts said that other road rules drivers are unaware of include punishments for moving for going through a red light to let a service vehicle pass, or entering a bus lane to make way.