Drivers or riders in Western Australia caught holding or touching their phone to make a voice call will now receive an increased penalty of a $500 infringement and three demerit points.
A higher penalty of a $1000 infringement and four demerit points applies to drivers or riders who create or view a text or video, use video chat, use other function or app on their phone that can result in a high level of distraction.
âMobile phones are designed to distract us â whether itâs a text, a video chat or someone has tagged you on Instagram – we are drawn to the screen as soon as it lights up,â said Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner. âWhen you get behind the wheel or on the bike, leave your phone alone, and if you canât, put it in the backseat. Thereâs nothing that important that it canât wait until youâre at the end of your journey.â
Drivers and riders in Western Australia can only touch their mobile phone if it is in a cradle mounted securely to the vehicle, to make, receive or end a voice call.
âItâs important to reiterate that the rules around mobile phone use in vehicles have not changed, it is only the penalties that have been amended,â added Warner.
âEven if your phone is in a cradle, you canât change the song or podcast on your phone, or look at a text, or change the route on your map app â or youâll lose $1000 infringement and be slapped with 4 demerit points. Donât have the phone resting on your lap or make a call while holding the phone in your hand, even if itâs on speaker phone â or youâll be $500 out of pocket and cop 3 demerit points.â
There is now an exception for drivers of on-demand transport who will be permitted to touch a phone securely mounted to the vehicle to accept, start or decline a job ONLY.
However, drivers are NOT permitted to touch their phone for ANY reason if they are travelling:
- in a school zone during the school zone activated period;
- on the freeway;
- on a road with a speed limit of 80km/h or more; or
- in a SLOMO or slow down, move over situation, where a vehicle must slow down to 40km/h to pass an emergency response vehicle with lights activated parked on the side of the road.
For more information on the new penalties for illegal mobile phone use on WA roads see Rules and Penalties.