MOTORISTS are raving over a nifty little gadget which can keep £1,000 fine at bay and make driving a dream.
The “handy” device could ensure you have your eyes on the road and don’t get distracted, preventing hefty fines and accidents.
Sat-Nav might be one of the best inventions of the technological age, making it so much easier to avoid getting lost when driving through unknown streets.
Popular traffic apps such as Waze or Google Maps can even help drivers avoid congestion by giving real-time updates.
But as useful as they are, these apps could land you in hot water if you don’t use them carefully.
Experts at Motor Match has warned motorists that they could face fines of up to £1,000 and six points on their licence if they are caught with their phones behind the wheel.
Previously, the law only banned hand-held calls and messaging while driving, which was referred to as ‘interactive communication’.
In 2022, these loopholes were closed, making it illegal to even touch your phone while you steer.
Hands-free calling and using a phone for sat-nav is still be allowed, as long as you do not enter the destination of your journey while driving.
That is why the motor experts have urged drivers to secure their phones to their windscreens for easier access.
The Motor Match said:”If you require your phone for navigation when driving, a hands-free windscreen mount is the approach to take, however this must not block your view of the road or the traffic ahead.”
An affordable and useful device could be easily found on websites like Temu, retailing at a meagre price of £1.27.
The reviews for the gadget are raving with 1,300 of car phone holders sold already.
One person wrote: “Very gritty and comfortable.”
Another reviewer added: “Handy gadget to have.”
Someone else said: “Good quality for such a low cost item.”
If you do go for a windscreen holder, then make sure that it is positioned in the right place.
It’s not technically illegal to mount a sat-nav in the middle of a windscreen, but obstructing you view could see you hit with a £100 on-the-spot fine.
Phone holders and sat-nav holders that fix onto windscreen could be a breach of the code.
The code says “windscreens and windows MUST be kept clean and free from obstructions to vision”.
A phone holder stuck onto a windscreen could be seen as obstructing a driver’s vision in a court case.
And the Road Traffic Act says “no person shall drive a motor vehicle on a road if he is in such a position that he cannot … have a full view of the road and traffic ahead.”
Road safety officer Neil Worth has said the safest place for a holder is “in the bottom right-hand corner of your windscreen.”
And motorists who use a sat-nav or phone that’s isn’t on the dashboard or windscreen could be fined £200 and hit with up to six penalty points.
USING your mobile phone whilst driving could land you in serious trouble, as you are endangering yourself and other road users.
It has been illegal to use a mobile phone for calls or texts whilst driving since 2003.
However, this only covered small parts of the law, like actually holding the phone to your ear whilst on a call.
On March 25, 2022, it became an offence to hold a mobile phone whilst driving.
This now covers touching or swiping the phone screen.
This also applies to being stopped in traffic or waiting at the traffic lights.
You can use hands-free phones – as long as you don’t press any buttons – sat navs and two-way radios when you’re driving or riding.
The in-car touchscreen dashboard is not exempt from penalties as the director of Nationwide Vehicle Contract Keith Hawes has warned about using these too.
Keith said: “Touchscreens have become a common addition to modern vehicles, and the more complex they become, the more distracting they can be.
“If you are found to be not properly in control of your vehicle as a result of using dashboard gadgets or hands-free devices you could still be prosecuted.“
But if the police think you’re distracted and not in control of your vehicle you could still get stopped and penalised. The law also applies to those riding a motorcycle.
Any hands-free devices should be fully set up before you start your ride.
