How to deal with tougher driving laws

7th March 2017

Joe Bush

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Recent changes in the law have seen tougher penalties introduced for drivers who use smartphones and internet-enabled devices while behind the wheel in the UK. However, in an effort to provide a solution for drivers who used to rely on their smartphones to get from A to B, a new heads up display (HUD) navigation system has been introduced called FOCUS.

The system transforms a standard smartphone into a transparent HUD in order to minimise distractions and interferences. Reflection technology provides a clear visual image for drivers, projecting a clear view of the road immediately ahead, as well as a view of the route that lies around the next corner. Revealing accurate navigation information to increase safety, the device helps to improve focus when drivers need it the most.

Rishi Sehgal, CEO of FOCUS, said: “The new rules are great news for road safety, but bad news for drivers who rely on their smartphone sat-navs. We can offer a hi-tech solution for these kinds of drivers. Our product will enable them to keep using their sat-nav in a compliant manner.”

Compatible with any smartphone and HUD enabled app, drivers merely launch any HUD-based app to start using the technology. The system then attaches to dashboards and illuminates the route onto semi-transparent glass to project the smartphone’s display. Providing a no-nonsense solution to these new laws and regulations, FOCUS is well suited for maximising visibility in severe weather conditions, at night, or indeed just day-to-day.

It has been illegal to use a handheld mobile phone while driving, or while the engine is on, since December 2003. However, these new, tougher rules mean that drivers caught using mobile phones behind the wheel face penalties of a £600 fine and six penalty points – doubling from the £1,000 fine and three penalty points that were in force previously. And what’s more, drivers who have held their licence for less than two years will get an on-the-spot ban if they use their device just the once.

The law states that although drives can still use their mobile phones as a sat nav, this can only be done if it is programmed before the car is started. The device must also be in a secure holder out of the 45° angle of the driver's view.

Rishi, added, “Drivers up and down the country should now be aware of the harsher penalties for using mobile phones behind the wheel. It’s so important that they adhere to these new rules in order to not only refrain from the tough penalties, but also to ensure they stay safe on roads.”