McDonald's has created an app that makes it all the more easier for customers to order their food at a drive-thru.
However, motorists are being warned that, despite being on private land in a McDonald's drive-thru, they should still be careful about ordering food on their phone. If a driver is found to be using their phone while in the queue for McDonald's they could actually end up receiving a maximum fine of £1,000 and six points on their licence.
This is because they could be breaching driving laws around using a handset while driving. Therefore, using the app to make ordering food quicker could actually end up being a very expensive mistake.
According to the RAC guide to mobile online law, it states: "If your engine is running, your phone should be nowhere near your hands. This is still the case if the engine stops automatically to save fuel (called 'start-stop technology). As to whether you're safe on private land - any road the public has free access to is covered by the laws.
RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis told the Mirror : “Every driver should always ensure they are parked and have their engine switched off before using a handheld phone – anything else could land them in trouble, even if they are in a car park, drive-thru or petrol forecourt.”
If the police believe your case is an extreme one, they may even decide to take you to court where you could receive a driving ban and a maximum fine of £1,000 or £2,500 if you're driving a lorry or bus. And while it's unlikely you will be pulled over by police in a McDonald's drive-thru, it is still an unnecessary risk to take.
A police patrol has the rights to add points to your licence and hand out a fine if they catch you using your phone. Furthermore, if there is an accident, such as if a person int he queue bumps into you, you could end up in a lot of trouble.
If you're in a situation where you need to pay for your food with your phone, then this will likely be okay as long as you pull to the side and turn off your engine.
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