The Penalties For Using The Mobile Phone Behind The Wheel Will Be Harsher

It is one of the leading causes of death on the roads . The penalties for using the mobile at the wheel will be harsher; the warning from Pere Navarro, the new General Director of Traffic, will take place in a short time.

It will be more than 200 euros and three points of the driving license

Although exact amounts have not been announced,  Pere Navarro clarified that currently the use of the mobile phone behind the wheel is sanctioned with 200 euros ; includes the loss of three points of the driving license.

In the  reform of the Traffic and Road Safety Law, the current penalty will be substantially increased, to improve road safety.

The use of telephone devices while driving is one of the biggest distractions today ; making calls, reading or writing messages is a risk. It is for the driver and his companions, also for other users and for pedestrians. Pere Navarro goes further: ‘it affects society’.

Navarro was in charge of the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) for 8 years, until 2012. Upon his return, in 2018, he has proposed to resume the safety levels on the roads that he left when he handed over the position. The use of the mobile phone behind the wheel is one of the concerns that you will work on immediately.

It will be a modification of the law and the driving license for points, to toughen the penalties. This is one of the most overwhelming accidents, although speeding and the use of alcohol and drugs while driving do not escape.

Vulnerable groups

In 2017 there were almost two thousand deaths in road traffic accidents, most of them cyclists, pedestrians and motorists, the most vulnerable groups.

The aging of the vehicle fleet, the number of vehicles on the move and the condition of the roads were not too decisive in this number of claims. The use of the mobile phone behind the wheel definitely influenced.

The penalties for using the mobile at the wheel will be harsher. The reason is that it is an extremely common offense, which is directly linked to the accident rate.

A recent history

In 2012, when the points card was created, the deployment of social networks or instant messaging on mobile devices was not a concern.

People did not make calls or send or read text messages on their cell phones in front of the wheel; or at least not to the point of being one of the leading causes of road death.

In  the reform of the Traffic and Road Safety Law there will be a tightening of penalties for using a mobile phone while driving. These distractions are the cause of 25% of the accidents and 31% of the deaths registered in 2016.

According to experts, in a journey at 120 kilometers per hour, making a mobile call would imply not paying attention on a journey of 429 meters. If it is about writing or reading a message, the traveled meters amount to 660. For these reasons, the penalties for using the mobile phone behind the wheel will be harsher.

Alarming figures

It is unknown how many accidents, of those registered in 2017, were caused by the improper use of the mobile while driving. On interurban roads there were 37,493 accidents, with 1,321 deaths. In urban areas, 64,740 accidents with victims, in which 509 people died and 4,780 were injured.

More young deceased

According to these statistical data, the number of deaths of young people between 25 and 34 years old had a rebound of 70 people more than in 2016. If we analyze this statistical information, we see that there was a decrease in deaths aged 45 years or more.

So far in 2018, a decrease of three deaths has been observed compared to the same period in 2017, recorded up to July 11. Until this summer, there are 587 deaths from traffic accidents in Spain.

The upturn in claims has been experienced since 2014; for that reason, the DGT will reinforce the sanctions. Not only those applied by using the mobile at the wheel. Penalties for the use of drugs and alcohol will also increase, since one in three victims presents evidence of having consumed them.

Speeding and the lack of use of child restraint systems in vehicles will not escape the new regulation. Navarro’s intention is to reduce the high accident rate that he achieved upon his return to the office he occupied for eight years.