We observe this more and more with widespread use of smartphones and social networksand more generally with the hyper-connectivity we face : using the phone while driving! According to the 2023 AXA Prevention Barometer, 80% of drivers say they use it while driving. A seemingly harmless gesture that impairs the driver’s vigilance and, therefore, his reaction time on public roads and among other users. Unsafe behavior that can cause accidents: 1 out of 10 accidents is related to using a phone while driving according to a survey conducted by MAAF.

In Belgium, the use of phones while driving is strictly enforced

All this may soon change, at least in Belgium! The prosecutor’s office in Hull-Wilvoorde, an area that almost completely surrounds the city of Brussels, is stepping up its voice and wants to crack down on the practice. Using a mobile phone while driving now results in a 15-day disqualification. In doing so, he will have to answer for his guilt before a court (in this case, Gael or Wilvoorde), which can – depending on the situation – make a decision. longer license suspension: up to 5 years maximum. Financial sanctions are also provided for: fine from 240 to 4,000 euros depending on the place of the offense and therefore on the seriousness of the threat to the user’s security…

“Drivers are still not sufficiently aware of the dangers of using mobile phones while driving. Fifty deaths a year due to illegal use of a mobile phone while driving, that’s too much. This figure should be revised downwards,” prosecutor Carol Vercarre admitted.

A well-controlled practice in France

And in France? The law regulates the use of mobile phones while driving (3 points, a fine of 135 euros), and only if directly observed by a police officer/gendarmerie or retroactively by radar. It also provides sanctions for “endangering the lives of others”, which is punishable by imprisonment and a fine of 15,000 euros...

In addition, from May 22, 2020, “a driver who holds a phone in his hand and at the same time commits another offense provided for by the traffic rules may the police revoked your driving licenseand then a suspension of the license for a maximum period of up to six months. » So you note that in France you have to commit an offense to get your license revoked, this is a more flexible rule compared to Belgium… If this new law applies to other Belgian districts and provinces, he could cross the Ardennes and set a precedent here…

Read also:

Speeding: how do you know which radar has flashed you?

Unpaid fines: what are the risks?

Counterfeit counters: which brand is most affected?