From that date, motorists face tough new penalties for breaking the law by using a handheld mobile phone (“or similar device”) while driving. The fixed penalty fine doubles to £60 – and for the first time it comes with the automatic award of three penalty points on a driving licence.
And here’s the bit you might not have realised – the same penalties now apply for not having proper control of a vehicle, a measure which can also be used where a driver has been distracted by using a hands-free mobile phone.