A new law has come into force banning motorists from using any handheld technology devices, such as mobile phones or tablets, while driving - except in very limited circumstances. The changes to The Highway Code have been brought in by The Driver and Vehicles Standards Agency (DVSA) on Friday, March 25, 2022 and have also been shared on the official government website under driving and transport laws.
The DVSA said it carried out a public consultation last year, ahead of introducing the new rules, and 80% of respondents supported the proposed changes. The ban on using handheld devices applies to all drivers, even when stopped at traffic lights, queuing in traffic or driving a car that turns the engine off when it stops moving. It also applies to people in the passenger seat of a vehicle, if they're supervising a learner driver who's in the driving seat. Even if a device is offline or in flight mode, it still must not be used by the driver or passenger supervising a learner driver.
The government website explains: "It's illegal to hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send or receive data, while driving or riding a motorcycle. This means you must not use a device in your hand for any reason, whether online or offline. For example, you must not text, make calls, take photos or videos, or browse the web." You can get more motoring news and other story updates by subscribing to our newsletters here.
