In a bid to crack down on distracted driving, the East Flanders Public Prosecutor's Office will take stricter action against drivers who use a mobile device behind the wheel. From now on, offenders will automatically lose their licence for 15 days.
New guidelines sent to police in the East Flanders region make it clear that if the police catch someone using a phone or device behind the wheel of a moving vehicle, they must contact the Prosecutor's Office immediately.
The public prosecutor can then decide to revoke the driver's driving license for a period of 15 days with immediate effect if the use is associated with unsafe traffic behaviour. Even if the decision to remove the licence is not taken, perpetrators face an immediate fine of €174.
The rules are more severe for professional drivers and those who have already been caught using their mobile phone behind the wheel: they will immediately have their licence revoked for 15 days even if their mobile phone use is not directly associated with unsafe traffic behaviour.
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Distracted driving due to mobile phone or smartphone use is the cause of 8% of fatal accidents and results in an estimated 50 deaths and 4,500 injuries per year.
Road safety is a top priority for the public prosecutor of East Flanders. In a single week in November 2022, 611 driving licenses were immediately revoked for eight days and offenders were called to court.
Driving by the book?
The highway code dictates that, unless secured in a holder, drivers are prohibited from using an electronic device with a screen while driving. They may only do so when stationary or parked.
It's worth remembering that waiting in front of a traffic light or in a traffic jam is not considered standing still. Even then, using a smartphone puts drivers at risk of a fine or losing their license.
