Passenger in passing car gets M5 driver banned for using mobile

The driver was fined hundreds of pounds and disqualified from driving

A driver caught using their phone on the M5 was fined hundreds of pounds after they were reported by a passing car. The crime was reported by a passenger in an overtaking car back in February via Avon and Somerset Police's traffic offence reporting system, leaving the offending driver having to pay out £649 in costs and disqualified from driving for six months.

Sharing the result on the force's Roads Policing Unit X social media page, the force wrote: "This driver on the M5 near Bristol (02/2024) was putting other road users at risk due his attention being elsewhere! #JourneyCam report submitted from passing passenger. Case referred to court due to totting up. RESULT (08/24): driver disqualified 6 months & fined £649 in costs."

It is just one of a number of distracted driving sentencings in the last few weeks, including a driver who claimed to be using his phone for a medical emergency. The case was reported on Coronation Road in Bristol last November and the driver's claim was rejected when checks showed no record of any such call, the RPU said.

This motorist was also disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay £398 costs. The force said: "11/2023 Coronation Rd #Bristol Driver claimed he was using his phone as it was a medical emergency but checks showed no record of such a call so this was rejected & they never replied to court summons. #JourneyCam Heard at Bath Magistrates 06/2024: Disqual 6 months & £398 costs."

It comes amid a fresh effort to tackle driving offences across the Avon and Somerset Police area. During the summer, 16 people were stopped for distracted driving offences, including while being on their mobile phones, as part of Operation Spotlight. More than 9,000 people were stopped for the 'Fatal Five' - the driving crimes mostly likely to lead to a serious injury or fatal crash.

The Fatal Five are:

• Careless driving
• Drink and drug driving
• Not wearing a seatbelt
• Using a mobile phone
• Speeding

8,699 of those were stopped for speeding. This week saw the launch of new unmarked road safety enforcement vans across key locations in Bristol and Somerset to detect speeding and help catch other driving offences.

Using a mobile phone behind the wheel qualifies as distracted driving and can carry large penalties. The Gov.UK site states: "It’s illegal to hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send or receive data, while driving or riding a motorcycle.

"This means you must not use a device in your hand for any reason, whether online or offline. For example, you must not text, make calls, take photos or videos, or browse the web."

Penalties include six points on your licence and a £200 fine if you hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send and receive data while driving or riding a motorcycle. If you have only recently passed your driving test in the last two years, you will also lose your licence.