France bans mobile phone use in cars

In Australia it’s OK to use your mobile phone in a vehicle in certain situations, such as after you've pulled over and stopped on the side of the road.

But if you want to talk on your phone in a car while in Paris or Toulouse or anywhere in France, you'll now have to be careful how and where you do so.

In the country of 67 million people, new laws prohibit the physical touching of any part of a smartphone while sitting in a vehicle, although hands-free kits and Bluetooth are still legal.

Following a recent court ruling, French motorists now need to find a designated car park and switch off their engine before they can legally make or take the call.

The French road toll has been rising in the last few years, reaching almost 3500 in 2016 and the country is cracking down on road regulations, including the lowering of speed limits.

There are around 30 million registered cars in France and if the cops spot anyone in a car – moving or stationary – using a phone, they'll be fined.

That means no phone calls, no social media and no texting.

The new rules are designed to reduce the road toll, keep drivers focussed on the road, reduce distraction and decrease the amount of vehicles stopped on the side of the road.

Recent surveys suggest around nine out of 10 French motorists said they use their mobile phone while driving, and the results from surveys of drivers in other significant countries have found similar results over the past decade.

The only time a motorist in France can use a phone while in the car is after an accident or to call the authorities or if they're broken down. Otherwise, the car has to be parked in a clearly marked parking bay or car park with the car engine switched off.

The ruling came after a motorist challenged (and failed) to overturn a fine after stopping on the side of a roundabout with hazard lights on to take a phone call.

A 22-year-old man in New South Wales, Australia, recently crushed two police officers after slamming into them, and admitted that he was distracted using his mobile phone. One of the officers has since had his foot amputated.

Although hands-free telephony is legal to make calls and dictate text messages in Australia and most other countries, a study by the Queensland University of Technology revealed that Bluetooth calls are just as dangerous as holding the phone to your ear.

Some mobile phones now have a dedicated 'driving' mode that blocks specific apps and programs from operating while you drive, and functions such as these may one day become legally enforced.