New mobile phone penalties from 1 September 2020
From 1 September 2020, there will be a number of new changes to rules on using a mobile phone while driving.
The key changes are:
- Creating, sending or looking at a text, email, social media, photo, video or similar while driving will now incur a penalty of 4 demerit points and $1000 infringement notice.
- Touching or holding a mobile phone to make voice calls while driving will now incur a penalty of 3 demerit points and $500 infringement notice.
- On-demand transport drivers are permitted to touch their phone to accept or reject a trip only if:
- the phone is securely mounted in a cradle
- they are not driving in a school zone during school hours
- they are not driving on a freeway
- they are not driving on a road with a speed limit of 80km/h or more
- they are not driving past an emergency response vehicle during a 40km/km slow down situation
Please note:
- On-demand transport drivers must not touch the phone to use any other function on the phone, including other actions within the ridesharing apps.
- All drivers are permitted to use their mobile phone for navigation, but only if the phone is placed in a mounting secured to the vehicle, and the route is set and started before driving or riding commences.
- If a driver is caught touching their phone while driving to change the navigation instructions, even when secured in a mounting, they may face a penalty of $1000 infringement and 4 demerit points.
- On-demand food delivery drivers are not permitted to touch their mobile phones while driving, even to accept or decline a trip. If a driver is caught touching their phone while driving to deliver food to a customer, the new penalties will apply. If you receive requests for both Uber Rides trips and Uber Eats trips, please make sure you are aware of this difference in rules.
See here for more information on the 1 September changes.
Posted by the Uber team
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