Using your phone as a sat nav without breaking the law
It has been against the law since December 2003 for drivers to use hand-held mobile phones, even when stopped while the car engine is still running.
From 1st March, stronger penalties have been in effect, with drivers facing the imposition of a £200 fine and six penalty points.
Many drivers now use navigation apps such as Citymapper and Google Maps as an in-car sat nav, but they still worry about breaking the law if they touch their phones while the engine is on.
Therefore, it is a good idea not to use your phone unless you can guarantee that you won’t touch it at any time during your trip, even when stopped at a traffic light or stuck in a traffic jam.
Make sure that you have set your phone for hands-free operation before you begin your trip and pull over and turn off your engine if you need to adjust it during your journey.
A spokesperson for the AA said: “It should be programmed with the route before you set off. If it pops up with a message which requires just one press of a button, such as ‘A faster route has been found. Accept/ Decline,’ you should be OK to do this, as you would with an in-built sat-nav. But if you need to re-programme the route, then pull over and stop somewhere safe to do it.”
Most drivers place their phone into a holder attached to the windscreen so that they can see and hear the navigation app while driving. However, the Highway Code requires drivers to keep their windscreen clear, so using a holder that can attach to the car’s air vents is a better option.