Android

what are you (not) allowed to use your iPhone on the road?

The editors of iPhoned is regularly asked whether it is allowed to call behind the wheel. The short answer to that is “Yes”, provided you place your iPhone in a phone holder. If you fail to do this, you risk a large fine. This article is about calling behind the wheel and smartphone use on the go.

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Calling behind the wheel: what is allowed and what is not?

The Central government is quite clear when it comes to using the phone in the car: “When driving a car, don’t hold a cell phone”. In this statement, the word “hold on” is particularly important. After all, the ruling does not indicate that you are not allowed to operate a telephone at all behind the wheel: you simply cannot hold it.

In practice, this means that you have to place your iPhone in a holder on the go. For example, while driving you can accept an alternative route from your navigation app or add a stop. Voice control is also allowed. iPhone owners can therefore pass on requests to Siri on the go.

Do you no longer have to pay attention to anything on the road, as long as your iPhone is in a holder? No definitely not. The rule is that you are not allowed to cause dangerous situations along the way. If you swing across the road while on the phone and thus corner other road users, you are punishable, even if your iPhone is in a dashboard holder.

Fine for calling behind the wheel

Speaking of which, the fine for calling behind the wheel is not tender. Anyone who holds her or his phone while on the road risks a fine of 250 euros. Moped and light-moped riders have lost 170 euros after violation and cyclists have to transfer 95 euros to the treasury.

The smartphone ban for behind the wheel has been considerably expanded since 1 July 2019. Since then, all mobile electronic devices are covered by the conditions. This means that, for example, navigation systems, tablets and music players must also be in a holder while on the road. If you do not do this, you are criminally engaged.

In two cases you are allowed to call behind the wheel. There are exceptions made for when you are in a stationary or parked car. You can therefore hold the device in a traffic jam, in front of a traffic light or in a parking lot. As soon as you start driving again it becomes punishable.

What about insurance?

Finally, it is worth mentioning that you are not insured for damage if you cause an accident while on the phone. The hard requirement here is that the insurer in question must be able to prove that you smashed your car (and perhaps that of others) because you were distracted and had the smartphone in your hands at the time of the accident. If the insurer manages this, you will pay for the costs.

CarPlay is monthly theme from February 2021

The whole month of February stands iPhoned all about CarPlay, Apple’s operating system for the driver. We dive into the possibilities of CarPlay, explain how installation works, compare it with competitor Android Auto and explain why a phone holder is so important.

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