Using phone as sat nav while driving

This is a question that comes up surprisingly often, and the answer is more nuanced than many people realise.

Legal position:

The law on this is governed by section 41D of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2022, which amended Regulation 110 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

The rules were significantly tightened on 25 March 2022. Before that date, the offence was limited to using a hand-held phone for "interactive communication." Since the 2022 amendment, it is an offence to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving for virtually any purpose. This includes using it as a sat nav, taking photos, scrolling through a playlist, or checking the time.

The key distinction is between hand-held and hands-free use:

1. If you hold the phone in your hand at any point while driving, even briefly to glance at the sat nav screen, that is an offence. The penalty is six points on your licence and a fine of up to £1,000 (up to £2,500 for drivers of goods vehicles or passenger vehicles).

2. If the phone is secured in a cradle or holder so that you do not need to hold it, and you set the navigation before you start driving or use voice commands, this is lawful. The phone must be in a fixed position and not obstructing your view of the road.

Important caveats:

Even when using a phone hands-free in a cradle, you can still be prosecuted for careless or dangerous driving under sections 3 or 2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 if the navigation system distracts you to the point where your driving falls below the required standard. So hands-free use is not a blanket defence against all driving offences.

There is a narrow exemption allowing hand-held use to call 999 or 112 in a genuine emergency where it is unsafe or impractical to stop, but this is interpreted very strictly.

Practical guidance:

Set your destination before you begin your journey. Mount the phone securely in a cradle that does not block your windscreen or line of sight. If you need to change the route or interact with the phone, pull over safely and stop before touching it. Use voice-activated commands where possible.

New drivers should be especially cautious. If you have held your licence for less than two years, six penalty points will result in automatic revocation of your licence under the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995, meaning you would have to retake both the theory and practical tests.