Drivers who 'check phone' could be hit with £569 fine in new crackdown on roads

Using your phone while driving is against the law [file image]

Motorists could be hit with a hefty £369 addition to their car insurance if they ignore a crucial rule.

The act of holding or using your phone while driving is prohibited by law, and motorists can face a £200 fine if caught in the act. Those who can't resist a quick peek at their phones on the move could face an out-of-pocket expense of up to £569. According to data gathered by Go Compare, getting busted for phone use on the road could hike your car insurance costs by a significant £369.

Go Compare's car insurance expert Tom Banks expressed his disappointment, saying: "It's alarming that such a significant number of motorists are taking such a dangerous gamble." While it's quite common to spot a driver clutching their mobile device, Banks argues that this is a dangerous practice which dramatically increases the likelihood of accidents.

He said: "Unfortunately, it's not uncommon to see a driver holding their device while on the road, and that poses a serious risk to everyone's safety, as it means that an incident is statistically much more likely to occur." Banks further asserted the importance of resisting the urge to check phones while at the wheel, reminding drivers about the potential repercussions, reports Birmingham Live.

He added: "We can't stress enough the importance of resisting temptation and leaving your phone untouched while behind the wheel - it simply isn't worth the safety consequences. Then there's the financial repercussions, too. Getting caught could leave you over £500 worse off, so it's just not worth the risk. If you really need to use your phone, pull over as soon as it's safe to do so before picking up your device."

GoCompare's troubling study revealed that over one quarter of UK drivers confess to using their phones when driving. To put this in context, that's roughly 11.4 million UK drivers, translating to around 10.4 million rule-breakers across England and Wales. Despite their reputation for being reckless drivers, only 14% of motorists under the age of 25 admitted to using their phones while driving, according to GoCompare. The study also found that drivers aged 55 and over are among the least likely to use their phones on the road.

GoCompare analysed data from the Home Office and DVLA to identify the regions in the UK with the highest number of drivers caught using their phones behind the wheel.