'Don't interact with that device': Leicestershire Police warn drivers on new phone rules
Officers from the Roads Policing Unit have been out stopping people
Last updated 25th Mar 2022
Leicestershire Police are fully behind changes to the law which will clarify when drivers cannot use their phones.
From Friday (25th March), drivers cannot use their phones to take photos, watch videos, play games or shuffle through music playlists.
That's a clarification on the existing rules preventing drivers from making calls or sending texts from their hand-held devices.
Crucially, those new changes remain the case when drivers are sat idle in traffic or at red lights - phones can only be used when they are not situated in a cradle when drivers are parked up with the engine off.
'If you're holding a phone whilst driving, you can be prosecuted'
Leicestershire Police's Roads Unit have been out in force this week stopping potentially dangerous drivers during a FATAL4 operation at Abbey Park.
"The updated law now removes any doubt. If you are holding a phone whilst driving, and that includes when you are stopped at lights or in a queue, you can now be prosecuted", said PC Shaun Gent.
"Unless you are parked up, engine turned off, use of the mobile phone is prohibited. We're talking about a mobile phone that is being held. We accept the fact that people have docks that they put their phones in and it makes their phone operate as part of their vehicle, that's a different thing altogether.
"We would rather that people were educated and didn't do it than we give them a ticket which costs them a number of hundreds of pounds, puts points on their driving record... that brings us very little pleasure. That is not our purpose, our purpose is to educate people and bring forward better driving standards."