Four drivers sentenced for using mobile phones while driving in Lincolnshire
Fines and penalties issued for offences across the county.
Four drivers in Lincolnshire have faced significant fines and penalties after being caught using mobile phones while at the wheel.
Sentenced at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court this week, the individuals – aged 33, 39, 40, and 58 – were either found guilty or pleaded guilty to the offence. Between them, fines, costs, and surcharges amounted to over £6,100.
Three of the drivers were given six penalty points on their licences, while the fourth was banned from driving for six months due to accumulating penalties.
Cases outlined
The cases involved a variety of locations and vehicles:
A 33-year-old man was caught driving a white DAF HGV flatbed on the A46 Lincoln Bypass on 16th June. He pleaded guilty, receiving a fine of £540, six points on his licence, and a total payment of £1,156 including costs.
A 39-year-old man driving a Vauxhall Vivaro on the A17 at Holdingham on 20th March was found guilty in court. He faced a fine of £1,500, six points, and total penalties of £2,750.
A 40-year-old man driving a Dacia on Trinity Street, Gainsborough on 12th May was found guilty, fined £576, and incurred six penalty points, resulting in total costs of £1,456.
A 58-year-old man driving a Mercedes on Lincoln High Street on 19th June was found guilty at court. He was banned from driving for six months and faced a fine and costs totalling £818.
Inspector’s warning
Inspector Jason Baxter from Lincolnshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit emphasised the dangers linked to mobile phone use at the wheel:
“This is just a snapshot of the mobile phone offences we see each day. We also see the consequences of drivers who are distracted when they use a mobile while driving.
“Not maybe every day, but more than we should; the consequences can be deadly.
“There can be no excuse, no ‘I was just,’ no ‘I was only’ – no excuse.”
Legal consequences
Driving while using a mobile phone can lead to fines, penalty points, or bans:
Fixed penalties of £200 and six points apply for handheld phone use while driving.
If prosecuted and found guilty, fines can reach £1,000 (£2,500 for lorry or bus drivers), along with six points and potential bans.
New drivers receiving six points within 2 years can lose their licences altogether.
Higher insurance costs often follow for drivers with penalty points.
Drivers are warned not to underestimate the dangers, as using a phone while driving increases the risk of a collision by four times.
For further details on laws around mobile and device use at the wheel, visit the GOV.UK site.