Using your touchscreen in the car is more dangerous than drunk driving. This was revealed yesterday in the VTM program ‘Zeggen Dat’. But how high is the fine if, for example, you quickly enter an address at a red light? And is it punished more severely than calling behind the wheel? We asked the VIAS traffic institute.
Why is using your touchscreen dangerous?
“According to the highway code, a driver must have his vehicle under control at all times,” says Stef Willems of VIAS. “Using a touchscreen or touch screen can prevent that. The system is very sensitive, so you are more likely to make a mistake when you enter an address, for example. And every second that you are not looking at the road increases the risk of an accident.”
This was also evident yesterday in ‘Zeggen Dat’. When test subjects Andy Peelman and Dina Tersago drove 50 km/h and had to stop suddenly for an obstacle, they only came to a stop after 39 meters. Did they do that same emergency stop without distractions? Then they came to a halt after about 30 meters. A distance that can make all the difference in a life-threatening situation.
Is drunk driving any safer?
“No, that is absolutely not true. In the ‘Zeggen Dat’ test, Andy and Dina were able to brake a little earlier if they had drunk alcohol than if they were distracted by their touchscreen. But that’s really no proof that drunk driving is any safer. For example, a lot depends on the amount of alcohol you have drunk and how tired you are. The core message must remain that both the use of alcohol and touchscreens are life-threatening, and that you can react the fastest sober.”
What is the fine for distraction?
“The highway code does not literally say that the use of a touchscreen is prohibited. So if you quickly change the radio station at the red light, an agent cannot fine you for it. However, that is the case if he determines that you are no longer able to control your vehicle due to your touch screen. Then it concerns a violation of the third degree, and you pay a fine of 174 euros plus administration costs.”
If you are caught making a phone call behind the wheel, you will receive the same fine: “You are no longer allowed to hold a smartphone or put it on your lap while driving. You may only use the device as a GPS or music player, although it must be in a correct holder.”
Read also
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Can your car still enter the low-emission zone? And what is the fine if you get caught?
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