Texting drivers to be hit with £90 fine

Larger fines for texting behind the wheel as well as a variety of other dangerous driving offences are drawing closer.

Texting or making a phone call behind the wheel will soon mean harsher penalties for drivers, the Transport Minister has warned.

Patrick McLoughlin has indicated that motoring fines for a variety of dangerous driving offences could go up by 50%, though the number of penalty points received will remain at just three according to plans that have been under review since last year.

The fixed penalty for using a handheld device while driving would go up from £60 to £90, while other offences like running a red light, driving without a seatbelt and speeding will also fetch a higher charge.

Speaking at a road safety conference in London, McLoughlin said:  "We want to send a clear message to dangerous drivers: If you continue to show complete disregard for the safety of other road users, we will catch you – and we will punish you."

'We all do it, don't we?'

The Minister said he found it "unbelievable" that drivers were risking lives by using their mobiles to text or use social media sites while driving.

But at the same time he admitted he had in the past made calls on his mobile while operating a vehicle.

Using a handheld mobile phone to make a call while driving, other than to the emergency services, was made illegal in 2003.

Since the law came into effect more than a million motorists have been convicted of the offence.

McLoughlin said he wouldn't drive and make a call now and that the excuse of "we all do it, don’t we?" was just not acceptable.

New penalties

Under the new plans that are being discussed careless driving will be treated as a fixed-penalty notice that will come with three points and a £90 fine.

Offences will include cutting up other drivers, tailgating, hogging the middle lane, driving at an inappropriate speed, eating and lighting a cigarette at the wheel.

New drug-driving laws will also be brought in.

Hard to stomach

Motorists might find these harsher financial penalties hard to stomach.

But penalty charges haven't been increased since 2000 while retail prices have gone up 40%. A consultation review from the Department of Transport into putting charges up last year said that the £60 penalty now seemed trivial in comparison to how serious the offences were.

It's unclear when these plans will come into effect (the consultation closed in September last year) but critics say the proposed crackdown on dangerous driving doesn't go far enough.

Not enough

Motoring groups said harsher penalties will need tougher enforcement as drivers continue to flout the rules of the road.

Previously the Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe called for a six- point penalty for dangerous driving so that a second offence would mean a ban.

What do you think? Should reckless drivers face tougher financial penalties? Or is there more effective action that could be taken?

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