Brits pay £10MILLION A YEAR in fines and insurance penalties for using a mobile phone while driving
BRITS racked up a £10million bill for using their mobile phones behind the wheel last year - and it's set to soar again in 2017, according to new driving licence data.
More than 30,000 drivers were handed points and a fine in 2016 for mobile phone use, according to the figures from the DVLA.
These motorists paid out £3.2million in £100 fines for being endorsed with a CU80 offence - listed as "breach of requirements as to control of the vehicle, such as using a mobile phone".
But from March 2017 the fine was increased to £200 meaning drivers will shell out even more by the end of this year for driving distracted.
And motorists are hit in the pocket by more than just the one-off fine, too, according to Octo Telematics.
The black box firm revealed a CU80 offence on your licence can add 20 PER CENT to your insurance premium meaning guilty drivers paid out £7.5m in inflated policies last year.
The penalty has gone up from three points to six points, too, so premiums will be even higher for offenders this year.
And with mobile phone points staying on your licence for four years, drivers are footing the bill for as much as £1,500 for their misdemeanours over multiple renewals.
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Jonathan Hewett, chief marketing officer at Octo Telematics, said: "Distracted driving is a real threat to road safety. While we live in the age of the smartphone, not switching off behind the wheel costs lives and money.
"The police are doing an excellent job of enforcing road safety through fines and penalty points but cost can also act as a deterrent.
"Telematics devices encourage safer driving and reduce the likelihood of distracted and dangerous driving by providing insurers with data that helps them keep the cost of driving down with discounts for safer motorists."
Distracted driving - including using mobile phones and other in-car infotainment systems - accounted for 101 fatal crashes in the UK in 2015.
