The traffic police fined a 53-year-old woman on the A2 near Boxtel on Monday afternoon for holding her phone while driving. The woman begged for a warning because she would “learn from this.” The police soon discovered that she had already been ticketed for the same thing six times in the past four years.
Since 2002, you are no longer allowed to call or text while driving. If you’re holding your phone while driving, you’re already doing it wrong. But many motorists do not adhere to this. The police therefore regularly carry out additional checks.
In September, 89 people were fined in one day for having their phones fixed. This check was done from a coach, because the police then have a better view. Checks were then carried out on the A16, A58, A27, A59, the Midden-Brabantweg, the Ringbaan West in Tilburg and the Backer and Ruebweg in Breda.
The fines increase year after year. Anyone caught will receive a fine of 380 euros this year. Next year this amount will be increased to 420 euros.
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However, in some cases you are allowed to hold your phone behind the wheel. When you stop in a traffic jam, you are not driving a car, so you cannot be fined. This also applies to holding a mobile device at a traffic light or in a parking space. But put it away or put it back in the holder before you take off, because that’s where the limit lies.
With your phone behind the wheel: these are the rules of the game