BY JANE WARDELL, The Associated Press
LONDON (AP) -- British motorists are no longer allowed to use handheld cell phones while driving under a law that came into force Monday.
Police can issue immediate fines of 30 pounds (US$50) to offenders.
But noting reports that many Britons are unaware of the new rules, officers in England and Wales said they would be lenient with violators for the next two months, giving verbal warnings to “assist in the education of drivers.”
In Scotland, police charged one woman with improper use of her mobile phone and issued fines to two other drivers on Monday.
Handsfree 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.”
The fines for using a handheld mobile can rise to as much as 1,000 pounds (US$1,700) if the case goes to court. The government also plans to increase the immediate fine to 60 pounds (US$100) and add three penalty points to the offense. Motorists may incur a total of 12 penalty points before their license is revoked.
“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,” said Jamieson.
“You are four times more likely to be involved in an accident when using a mobile phone and driving and this new offense will help make our roads safer,” he added.
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 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 hand-held mobile phone when the car was stopped with the engine running.
“Even with the law now live, people are still very confused about what they can and cannot do,” said Rebecca Rees, a spokeswoman for the Automobile Association.
Tesco questioned 1,000 people in face-to-face interviews last week. The margin of error was plus or minus three percentage points.