COPS have warned drivers they face a £200 fine and 6 points on their licence if they make the same mistake that two chancers did.
The drivers who broke the law have been told to expect a “letter in the post” from police as the force warned others to drive responsibly.
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The drivers received the warning after they were spotted filming a car engulfed in flames on the M6.
It comes as police, firefighters, and highways officials had been called out to the northbound stretch yesterday morning where the motorway had to be shut.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service sent crews to the blaze between Junctions 13 and 14 just after 9.10am.
They got the blaze extinguished around 50 minutes later.
A spokesman said the fire was being treated as “accidental.”
Lane closures remained in place during the morning as repairs were carried out to the carriageway.
Now, Staffordshire Police’s road crime team says some motorists “couldn’t resist” capturing the incident on film.
A spokesperson for the team, which covers the motorway network in Staffordshire, said: “Our vigilant officers noticed two drivers who couldn’t resist filming the scene whilst driving past.
“Both drivers reported and can expect a letter in the post soon.”
Anyone caught using a phone while driving faces six points on their licence and a £200 fine.
The law against mobile phone use in vehicles has been in existence since the end of 2003.
Initially, the offence was for use of a hand-held phone when driving.
If you violated this way back then, you would face a fixed penalty of just £30 and not have any risk of getting any points on your licence.
The law has evolved slightly since then, adapting to the greater abilities of smartphones as well as getting a new beefed up fine.
The last update in 2022 added new language as the original law only prohibited the making/taking of calls and sending/reading of text messages whilst driving.
Now, it is illegal to use a hand-held device while driving in virtually all circumstances.
Data from 2022, the most recent available, showed 27,756 ‘use of handheld mobile phone while driving’ offences that resulted in fixed penalty notices.
As a reference, that same year there were 2,115,058 fines for speed limit offences.
What is the law on using your mobile phone whilst driving?
IT’S illegal to hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send or receive data, while driving or riding a motorcycle.
This means you must not use a device in your hand for any reason, whether online or offline.
For example, you must not text, make calls, take photos or videos, or browse the web.
The law still applies to you if you’re:
- stopped at traffic lights
- queuing in traffic
- supervising a learner driver
- driving a car that turns off the engine when you stop moving
- holding and using a device that’s offline or in flight mode
Exceptions
You can use a device held in your hand if:
- you need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it’s unsafe or impractical to stop
- you’re safely parked
- you’re making a contactless payment in a vehicle that is not moving, for example at a drive-through restaurant
- you’re using the device to park your vehicle remotely
Using devices hands-free
You can use devices with hands-free access, as long as you do not hold them at any time during usage. Hands-free access means using, for example:
- a Bluetooth headset
- voice command
- a dashboard holder or mat
- a windscreen mount
- a built-in sat nav
The device must not block your view of the road and traffic ahead.
Staying in full control of your vehicle
You must stay in full control of your vehicle at all times. The police can stop you if they think you’re not in control because you’re distracted and you can be prosecuted.
Penalties
You can get 6 penalty points and a £200 fine if you hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send and receive data while driving or riding a motorcycle.
You’ll also lose your licence if you passed your driving test in the last 2 years.
You can get 3 penalty points if you do not have a full view of the road and traffic ahead or proper control of the vehicle.
You can also be taken to court where you can be banned from driving or riding or receive a maximum fine of £1,000 (£2,500 if you’re driving a lorry or bus).
