U.K. Drivers Can No Longer Talk on Cell Phones

By JANE WARDELL

LONDON (AP) — British motorists are no longer allowed to use handheld cell phones while driving, under a law that came into force Monday and put Britain in line with most other European countries.

In Scotland, police charged one woman with improper use of her mobile phone and issued fines to two other drivers on Monday.

Hands-free mobile phone kits are permitted, but Transport Minister David Jamieson warned that “police can use other powers to prosecute a driver if they are distracted by a call on a handsfree phone.”

Police can issue immediate fines of about $50. The fines can rise to as much as $1,700) if the case goes to court.

Most European countries have banned the use of handheld phones while driving, according to the Automobile Association. Luxembourg is a rare exception, permitting use of a phone if the driver “takes all necessary precautions to avoid an accident.”

“The vast majority of motorists know that driving and using a mobile phone is dangerous and I hope that today’s ban will make the roads safer for everyone,” Jamieson said.

But there appeared to be confusion about the new law. A survey by Tesco Mobile found that a third of respondents believed the regulation was not due to come into force until early next year and more than 90 percent were not aware they could receive an immediate fine.

Many were unaware that it was illegal for a driver to use a handheld mobile phone when the car was stopped with the engine running.

Tesco questioned 1,000 people in face-to-face interviews last week. The margin of error was plus or minus three percentage points.

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