Using a mobile whilst driving?

I know that you are not allowed to make a call on your phone whilst driving, and I assume whilst in control of a car.

But can you use a mobile as a sat nav or other?

I do.

Takes me back a few years when my mates sat nav took us the wrong way, it wouldn't respond whilst the GPS sensed he was moving. Used my Nokia phone to get us back on track.

Probably a safety feature removed by sale/demand.

You can, but if it is capable of making a call and you have it in your hand whilst in control of a vehicle you could be getting a ticket for using a handheld mobile phone whilst driving.

There are many other uses for a mobile, does the FPN just mention telephone calls?

It doesn't mention calls. The offence is using a handheld mobile phone whilst driving a motor vehicle.

Therefore if it is in your hand and switched on, it is an offence.

A ticket can be issued and anything other would have to be disproved by yourself at court.

It doesn't mention calls. The offence is using a handheld mobile phone whilst driving a motor vehicle.

Therefore if it is in your hand and switched on, it is an offence.

A ticket can be issued and anything other would have to be disproved by yourself at court.

Just looked at the Highway Code

hand-held mobile phone, or similar device

Some others drivers at my place of work have been issued with Samsung Galaxies, to use as a monitoring device(it tells the bosses your location) and it also replaces paperwork.

But I guess the key thing about the law is that it is only illegal when "hand held".

It doesn't mention calls. The offence is using a handheld mobile phone whilst driving a motor vehicle.

Therefore if it is in your hand and switched on, it is an offence.

A ticket can be issued and anything other would have to be disproved by yourself at court.

So if the phone was in a cradle and you used it for sat nav or whatever, either manually or by voice, would that be ok?

So if the phone was in a cradle and you used it for sat nav or whatever, either manually or by voice, would that be ok?

You would break the law if you used it for SatNav and made manual adjustments while driving.

Set it before driving then leave it running, and you are OK.

You would break the law if you used it for SatNav and made manual adjustments while driving.

Set it before driving then leave it running, and you are OK.

You are allowed to use voice activated devices though, fairly certain of that as some top end new models from Mercedes and BMW have it built into them.

You would break the law if you used it for SatNav and made manual adjustments while driving.

Set it before driving then leave it running, and you are OK.

You would not be breaking the law, unless it was proved that it caused you to have an accident.

"You MUST exercise proper control of your vehicle at all times", the highway code tells you to "Avoid distractions"; it does not say "must not".

You would not be breaking the law, unless it was proved that it caused you to have an accident.

 

"You MUST exercise proper control of your vehicle at all times", the highway code tells you to "Avoid distractions"; it does not say "must not".

No.

You are forgetting the law specifically banning the manual use of a mobile phone while driving.

If you are manually using your mobile phone as a SatNav while driving you are committing an offence and can be nicked if observed.

Same as if you were texting or calling (manually).

As you mentioned the Highway Code ....

Rule 149:

You MUST exercise proper control of your vehicle at all times. You MUST NOT use a hand-held mobile phone, or similar device, when driving or when supervising a learner driver, except to call 999 or 112 in a genuine emergency when it is unsafe or impractical to stop.

No.

You are forgetting the law specifically banning the manual use of a mobile phone while driving.

If you are manually using your mobile phone as a SatNav while driving you are committing an offence and can be nicked if observed.

Same as if you were texting or calling (manually).

It states, hand held mobile phone.