App behind the wheel? In Belgium you lose your driver’s license

Texting or calling behind the wheel is one of the main causes of accidents. It causes a lot of distraction. In various Belgian regions, they are completely done with smartphone use in traffic. If you are caught, you will lose your driver’s license.

Texting behind the wheel in Belgium

Last year, the Belgians already significantly increased the fine for using a smartphone in traffic. It has now become known that Belgium is tightening the rules even further. In various parts of Belgium you lose your driver’s license for eight days if you are caught. This concerns the regions of Halle-Vilvoorde and East Flanders. It cannot be ruled out that more regions will follow near our southern neighbors.

On the same day the measure came into effect, 25 driving licenses for the said eight-day period have already been revoked. According to the Public Prosecution Service of Belgium, distraction by mobile phone or smartphone use is one of the major ‘killers’ in traffic. One in four Belgians texts in traffic, one in six does not call hands-free. 8 percent of the fatal accidents in Belgium can be traced to the use of the telephone in traffic.