United Kingdom

What this article is failing to mention is these new sentencing guidelines apply to people who have caused an accident through their careless driving.

I drive a commercial vehicle for work and while it would be a lie to say I've never been distracted behind the wheel (everyone is to varying degrees) but I see potentially serious accidents almost occur daily. From people cutting blind corners, driving in the middle of the road, phone in front of their face, phone glued to their ear, not looking or indicating at junctions and roundabouts.

Theres an epidemic of bad driving and we need more of this sort of low level punishment to make people think before they take that call or queue up a new song on Spotify.

It's not really that tough, is it?

"People driving vehicles expected to pay attention to their surroundings and take responsibility for their actions"

such as a quick look at the sat nav, neglecting to signal, or any short-lived distraction – might result in prosecution and a driving disqualification.

I hate people that don't indicate. Especially on roundabouts because now I have to wait for them to decide what they're doing. How hard is it to flick a switch?

Anyway I already thought these things were driving violations, I don't understand what's different are they just now enforcing the rule?

Sounds good only seems extreme because too many of us don't see an issue with phone use just like in the 60s with drink driving.

The standards of driving over the last 10 or so years has declined and egos have shot right up.

Of course most of this is down to a lack of on the street policing so I guess this is mostly just an easy mode gotcha for the 2 or so Police cars driving about.

A step in the right direction. Operating a car should be as strictly regulated as operating any similar piece of heavy machinery (with the proviso, of course, that society should be organised to not require driving a car to fully participate in). Though it’s cheaper to let people who wouldn’t be given a forklift certificate in a million years drive a Land Rover to the shops if they prefer and accept a level of road deaths as the inevitable price of progress, so that’s what we’re stuck with.

I see so many drivers tinkering with their phones while they drive. It's unnerving as a pedestrian to see people in 4x4s with one hand on the wheel and one hand holding their phone which they're concentrating on while they drive forwards.

Good. You are driving a 2 ton high speed battering ram. You had better make sure your fucking attention is on where you are going. Most people in cars simply don't see how dangerous they are. Maybe this will make them think? Obviously, it's unlikely, and they will just bleat about the war on motorists.

Excellent. A hell of a lot of people in this country need reminding that driving is a privilege. The amount of entitledness on the roads is flabbergasting. The country already falls over itself to prioritise them in terms of infrastructure but that's never enough. They don't want to have to obey any rules, speed limits, share, or otherwise behave. Be less shit.

Phone use is meant to be detectable by the latest automated cameras, along with seat belt use that are on trial last I heard. If it works as good as they say they do then I suspect a lot of people will be facing a ban.

Probably cos it’s fucking dangerous and selfish as fuck to be on your phone while driving

I mean that chap in the thumbnail is clearly not paying attention to the road. Send him down!