Drivers could be hit by £200 fine and six points on licence for this common error while visiting drive-thru
MOTORISTS could be hit with a hefty fine and points on their licence for a simple mistake while getting a tasty treat from a drive thru.
Drivers are facing tougher rules across the country - meaning that paying for your food could soon cause an issue.
Under new laws coming into force next month drivers will have more restrictions on using their phones and other devices behind the wheel.
From March 25 it will be illegal to take photos or videos, scroll through playlists or access any apps on your phone when driving.
Under current laws, drivers are banned from texting or making a phone call – other than in an emergency – while using a handheld device.
Paying for food at drive thus like KFC, McDonalds and Costa could technically be breaking the law if it's done through your mobile phone - through apps like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Even if your car is stationary, you are classed as driving if your engine is on - so could face a £200 fine and six points on your licence for leaning into the window with your phone in hand.
Government data has shown that 17 people were killed in 2020 as a result of crashes involving drivers distracted by their phones.
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Department for Transport figures showed a further 114 people were seriously injured and 385 were slightly injured in such collisions.
More than one in six of those killed or seriously injured were either a pedestrian or a cyclist, highlighting the threat posed to vulnerable road users from drivers preoccupied by phones.
The Highway Code was updated at the end of January to give pedestrians and cyclists more protection on the road.
The new laws will still allow the use of devices such as sat navs and mobile phones using satellite navigation, if they are secured in a cradle.
Edmund King, AA president, said: “The AA has long campaigned to toughen up these rules, and we welcome this announcement.
“This is a much-needed upgrade of the law to help make our roads safer.
“Mobile phones offer many distractions and this sends a clear message that picking them up to use them will not be tolerated.
“The law will also become tougher as the use of smartwatches, tablets and laptops behind the wheel will apply.
“Drivers will be extremely limited on when they can pick up their phone, mainly to call the emergency services when there was no opportunity to safely pull over and to make contactless payments at drive-thrus.
“Being sat in a traffic jam or waiting at the lights is not an excuse, we want people to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.”