Using a mobile while driving in Queensland will cost you $1,000

If you're are spoilt with the bad habit of using your mobile while driving, you better get up & running to get rid of it, especially if you drive in Queensland. Starting from February 1, 2020, using a mobile while driving will be an even bigger offence and the driver will be fined $1,000. That's not all, though, the Queensland Government will soon start testing out the phone-monitoring cameras that came into action in New South Wales not so long ago.

Unlike the current law where repeat offenders receive three demerit points, the new law will gift the driver with four demerit points. Furthermore, the driver will receive double demerit points and may also lose his/her license on repeating the offence within 12 months. Queensland traffic rules allow the drivers to use hands-free or cradle-mounted phones for making or answering calls along with using the navigation.

In the case of learner and P1 drivers under 25, the drivers cannot make use of any kind of hands-free devices or the loudspeaker of their/passenger's phone.

Following the amendment, Queensland has now become the state with the maximum fine for using a phone while driving. South Australia stands second with a fine of $534 and three demerit points.

"A driver’s response time while texting is comparable to that of a driver with a blood alcohol reading of between 0.07 and 0.10. It’s a deadly habit that needs to stop,” said Transport Minister Mark Bailey. The development by the government should be welcomed as around 25 people are killed and 1235 receive severe injuries each year in Queensland because of driver distraction.

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