McDonald’s and KFC drive-thru motorists using smartphones to pay could be fined £200 and given six penalty points under new laws

UNDER new laws drivers using their mobile phones to pay for food at a McDonald’s of KFC drive-thru could be fined £200 and given six penalty points.

The punishment for motorists using Apple Pay doubled from three points and a £100 fine on March 1.

Harsher sanctions now also mean newly qualified drivers immediately lose their licence if caught using a mobile phone behind the wheel.

The points allowance is capped at six for the first two years after passing a driving test.

First time offenders will also no longer be able to attend a training course to avoid the fine and points.

While many people had previously assumed that because McDonald’s is on private property drivers are allowed to use their phones, this isn’t the case.

Twitter user Jay Chase asked police if he could use Apple Pay at the fast food chain’s drive-thru service.

Greater Manchester Police Traffic replied: “If your engine is off and your handbrake applied and you’re parked yes. If your engine is on no.”

SAME PUNISHMENT AS HGV

The extreme change in punishment came after a government consultation decided it should be the same for drivers of cars and HGVs.

A consultation document reads: “Research shows that mobile phones can be a considerable distraction to drivers.

“One study by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) found the use of a mobile device impairs driving by a greater degree than if the driver were above the drink driving limit.”

A penalty fine for the use of a mobile phone behind the wheel first came in to play in 2003, when drivers faced a fine of only £30.

In 2007 this was raised to £60 and three penalty points.

The fine rose again in 2013 to £100, although this increase did not cause a radical reduction in the number of offenders.

A response to the consultation read: “We propose to go further than the proposals in the consultation and will double the penalty by increasing the fixed penalty fine from £100 to £200 and increasing the penalty points from three to six for all drivers – we do not propose to differentiate between cars and HGVs.

“To provide a strong deterrent in order to change behaviour, all drivers will face six penalty points regardless of vehicle type.

“This means all drivers using a mobile phone will be treated equally seriously. We also propose that a remedial course is not offered to first-time offenders.”

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