One year after the stricter laws came into effect, motorists across the South West have already had to pay over £70k for using their mobile phones while driving.

The "new" penalty is £200 and six points, which is twice as high as the previous fine.

According to research by, despite the high penalties, the number of fixed penalty notices issued only dropped by just under a quarter, from 2,821 to 2,211.

This is a smaller decrease than country wide.

How much did they pay?

The number of people caught was lower, but due to the increased penalties the amount collected has almost tripled.

At least £71,800 was paid in fines by offenders in the South West in 2017 - up from £25,600 in 2016.

Nationwide, more than £1 million was collected in fines.

The exact total was £1,207,300, increasing from £481,500 in 2016.

What are the laws?

The law on using a mobile phone while driving is very clear. It is completely illegal to use it while driving.

If you are caught using it while driving you could end up with six penalty points on your licence and a £200 fine.

If you have only passed your driving test in the last two years, then you could lose your licence entirely.

There is a way in which you can use your mobile phone while in the car, however. This is if you set it up correctly beforehand.

If you have set your device up properly, you will not need to touch to mobile phone while driving at all. This is deemed completely hands-free and legal.

You should not touch a mobile phone, even if it is set up on hands-free, while you are driving

If you need to manipulate the phone while driving, however, this would constitute handling you mobile phone while driving and you could be prosecuted.

The RAC advice is: “You are allowed to use a phone if it is fully hands-free – you’re not allowed to pick it up and operate it even momentarily.

“Any hands-free devices should be fully set up before you drive, so you can take calls without handling the device.

“The police still have the power to stop you if they believe you have been distracted by using a mobile phone while driving, even if it’s fully hands-free.”

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