Phoning, Texting And Driving...And Insurance

Blog Date - 10 May 2012

Oooooohhh it really grips my...er...pooh when I see people driving whilst using their phones.  There's one thing that bikers certainly can't be accused of, using their mobile phones whilst riding, well, unless they are hands free.  Maybe I'm jealous, maybe I wish I could talk and text whilst on my way to work, maybe I wish I didn't miss all those important business calls as I blat down the motorway, maybe I want to be able to see who ate chicken soup for tea on facebook whilst I go to the shops.  Maybe...maybe not.

The penalties for using a phone whilst driving are typically 3 points and a £60 fine, just the same as a speeding ticket.  I can't make my mind up if this is harsh enough or far too soft.  I mean it's hardly crime of the centaury, but then if you mow down a cyclist or child because you were texting your mates a stupid joke about immigration then it really is a very serious crime.  Whatever I decide or what you think, the insurance companies are speaking volumes about this.

If you're done for speeding with a standard 3 points then most insurance companies take the view you made an error and you'll be more careful in the future.  If you then rack up more speeding fines your insurance premium will rise accordingly, you're obviously a speed merchant.  But if you get caught using your phone and acquire the same 3 points, your insurance is likely to go up immediately.  I guess one speeding error every 5 years is a mistake anyone can make, to use your phone is a clear and simple choice, it can't happen because you didn't know the area or hadn't realised the limit had changed recently, you knew exactly what you were doing and you certainly should know it's wrong.  It's a clear indication of your attitude to driving and other road users.

It doesn't seem to put people off though.  You don't need to travel far or for long before you'll see some businessman with the phone in one hand and his paperwork on his knee doing 90 down the motorway.  Or the pretty young lady in the hatchback sat at the lights checking out the latest posts on facebook.  Or white-van-man yelling at the suppliers and smoking as he tailgates you through town. 
 

Reader's Comments

Post Your Comment Posts/Links Rules