#DRIVINGSELFIE – More like #DRIVINGSELFISHNESS! Guest blog by Vicky Miller

Have you joined the #drivingselfie craze? When the heads of states are at it, at Mandela's funeral no-less, and then the mass hysteria that followed Ellen's famous Oscars "selfie", it is no surprise that the craze has spread to the UK!

  

Well before you think about taking a quick "selfie" behind the wheel – think again!

It has been reported today by research conducted by confused.com that 1 in 14 motorists (7% of drivers) have taken a shameless "selfie" whilst driving. The most common culprits being those aged between 18-24 years with 1 in 10 admitting to using Snapchat whilst driving. With the recent launch of Snapchat it has become common place to send your friends, family and in fact anyone on your contact list the most random photos you can find. Most will think this is harmless fun without even thinking of the implications and risks this may cause to themselves and other road users. In fact, you will also be breaking the law!

Taking your eyes and hands off the wheel for even a split second could result in an accident. It has been found that 1 in 10 motorists who have used their mobile phone whilst driving have had an accident as a result. In our experience, when the police are investigate any serious collision, they immediately seize mobile phones, laptops and iPads to check whether or not they were in use during the course of the journey. A serious accident combined with mobile phone use will almost certainly result in a charge of dangerous driving which carries a possible 2 year prison sentence.

If you are caught mid-pose by the police you could be issued an on the spot fine and 3 penalty points for what they will say is “not being in proper control of your motor vehicle” or usingyour mobile phone whilst driving, which last year the police issued 118,000 of these out. In the more serious circumstances the police could charge you with careless driving which could result in a 3-9 penalty points, a disqualification and a hefty fine.

If you are someone who likes to keep up with the trends and send quirky selfies to your friends then don’t let this killjoy deter you! By all means, keep taking selfies, even whilst you are in your car, as long as it’s parked up with the engine off that is!

Guest Blog by Vicky Miller

Motoring Law Advice For New Drivers Starting An Apprenticeship

Today is the first day of NationalApprentice Week. Many apprenticeships will involve the need for a clean licence to drive to and from the apprenticeship itself or possibly to perform the apprentice role. Most apprentices will be classed as a "New Driver" and so we have set out some of the basics to ensure that all new drivers are fully equipped for the extra miles their apprenticeships may entail.

There is the risk that the more miles you drive the more likely you will commit minor motoring offences. We know that many low speed offences are more often than not unintentional. However, you should bear in mind that in addition to driving within the relevant speed limits, even checking Facebook or sending a “Snapchat” on your phone could result in 3 penalty points or even worse, an allegation of careless or dangerous driving.

Snapchat whilst driving at your peril!

As part of your apprenticeship you may be driving through unfamiliar areas meeting clients, working on sites and you may be doing your best to keep in contact with your new employers. Not paying attention to the road, speeding or being on your phone could result in a fixed penalty ticket of 3 points and £100 fine.

The majority of motoring offences carry endorsement which means you are likely to receive penalty points or a disqualification from driving.  

All new drivers who have held their full UK licence must be aware of the “New Driver” provisions. If you were to receive 6 penalty points within the first two years of having passed your driving test, the DVLA would have no option but to revoke your licence.

Any points that you have accrued before passing your test that are on your provisional licence will lay dormant on your driving record. This does not mean that once you pass your driving test your licence will be automatically revoked, it is only when further points are added that this will trigger the new driver provisions. 

Unfortunately, these provisions can be devastating if your apprenticeship requires you to be able to drive. 

The revocation means you will be unable to drive again on a full UK licence until you have passed both your theory and practical driving tests again.

During the revocation period you could apply for your provisional licence again. Once you have the provisional licence you must only drive if you have a passenger in the vehicle who is aged over 21 and has held a full UK driving licence for over 3 years. You must also display L plates and be fully insured to drive the vehicle.

Once you have passed all of the requirements to get your full licence back, the new driver provisions will not apply to you again. You can only be caught once by the new driver provisions with the same type of licence. If you subsequently pass another kind of driving test (for example, a motorcycle licence) the new driver provisions would apply to this licence.

As a precautionary measure remember these three tips to avoid being caught out by the new driver rules:  

1. Do not use your mobile phone whilst driving unless the vehicle is stationary and turned off;
2. Always stick to the speed limit and if you are unsure drive at 30mph in built up areas; and
3. Ensure you are in proper control of your vehicle at all times – so not eating a Big Mac whilst you are driving!