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While I reckon our police officers are too lenient with people who still insist on illegally using a handheld phone while driving, the Singapore Government has other ideas on how to deal with people who don’t use bluetooth. You will go to jail.
Yip, instead of a NZ$80 fine and 20 demerit points, you will be hit with a S$1000 (NZ$1066) fine and you could also face six months jail.
According to the Singapore Police Force website, drivers using handheld phones may also be disqualified from driving.
“The offender’s handphone and SIM card may be seized to facilitate investigation. These may be forfeited by the court upon conviction,” the website says.
A Singapore motoring colleague told me about the new change in rules in her country when it came to offending drivers, and she’d heard of one driver already spending time in jail.
Yip, that’d make you leave your phone to ring rather than pick it up if you were driving around Singapore.
I’m tired of seeing Kiwi drivers holding on their cellphone while driving, especially on busy roads — and I’m not alone.
Driven’s motorbike reviewer, Mathieu Day, reckons he sees at least 20 Auckland drivers a day using their phone illegally while on the busy Southern Motorway.
A contact told me this week he saw a driver go across the Auckland Harbour Bridge in rush-hour traffic while on her cellphone — oblivious to cars around her.
I’d like to see our government copy Australia and have fines of around $400 — and depending on the idiot behaviour of cellphone-using drivers, maybe even jail!