Epic fail

The government's reponse to this e-petition - We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to introduce driving ban and phone confiscation, if not car confiscation, for drivers caught using/holding mobile phone - potentially lethal weapon. (3,654 signatures)

"The Government is aware of the road safety risks caused by the use of mobile phones whilst driving. This is why it introduced a new offence specifically prohibiting the use of hand-held mobile phones, in addition to the well-established general offence of failing to exercise proper control of a motor vehicle.

The penalties for these offences are already significant. For a prosecution, courts have the power to disqualify an offender from driving, for which there is no upper limit, or to impose three penalty points and a fine of up to £1,000 (£2,500 if driving a bus, coach or goods vehicle). Alternatively, the offender may be offered the option of a fixed penalty notice with three penalty points and a £60 fine.

The Government is not convinced that the introduction of further penalties at this stage would create a more effective deterrent. In particular, should this involve confiscation of a mobile phone, it is more than likely that many offenders would simply acquire a replacement phone as soon as possible, whether or not they went on to use it whilst driving."

Un-fuck-ing believable. If I hadn't got this email yesterday I would have thought it was an April fools joke. That last paragraph must have been made up my some junior researcher still drunk from the night before. Surely the only explanation?!