UK drivers risk £1,000 fine this month when emergency alert sent to all mobile phones
Emergency alerts will be sent to drivers across the UK
PA
UK drivers are at risk of receiving a hefty £1,000 fine as a result of the emergency alert that will be sent out to all mobile phones.
Next week, a public emergency alert will be sent to all mobile phones in the UK as part of a new Government test on its public warning system.
The introduction of the alert system will aide the Government and emergency services in warning the public about potentially life threatening situations.
It is due to take place at 3pm on Sunday 23 April and could prove to be a distraction to motorists up and down the country.
An emergency alert will be sent to all mobile phones in the UK next week as part of a new Government test on its public warning system.
PA
The alert will make a loud siren sound, vibrate, and read out the details of the incident.
But drivers should resist the urge to switch the alert off if their phone rings out while they are travelling.
Highway Code Rule 149 states: “You must exercise proper control of your vehicle at all times. You must not use a hand-held mobile phone, or similar device, capable of interactive communication (such as a tablet) for any purpose when driving or when supervising a learner driver.
“This ban covers all use of a hand-held interactive communication device and it applies even when the interactive communication capability is turned off or unavailable.
The alert will go off at 3pm on the 23rd April
PA
“You must not pick up the phone or similar device while driving to dial a number and then put it in the cradle for the duration of the conversation.
“You must not pick up and use your hand-held phone or similar device while stationary in traffic.”
Government advice on next week’s alert states: “You should not read or otherwise respond to an emergency alert whilst driving or riding a motorcycle.
“If you are driving, you should continue to drive and not respond to the noise or attempt to pick up the mobile phone and deal with the message.
Drivers are able to turn the alert off if they do not want it to go off while in their motor.
PA
“Find somewhere safe and legal to stop before reading the message.
“If there is nowhere safe or legal to stop close by, and nobody else is in the vehicle to read the alert, tune into live radio and wait for bulletins until you can find somewhere safe and legal to stop.”
Drivers have been recommended to opt out of the emergency alert if they believe they will be driving at the time it is sent out.
To do so, they can search “emergency alerts” on their phone settings and switch off “severe alerts” or “extreme alerts”.