Over 8,000 fines in two years for mobile phone use while driving

In two years, 8,013 fines were issued to motorists for using their mobile phone while driving, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri told parliament on Tuesday.

The fines were issued between January 2020 and November 2021.

“In the majority of cases, persons receiving fines are not arraigned in court,” Camilleri said when replying to a parliamentary question by independent MP Godfrey Farrugia who asked how many people were charged in court.

Mobile phone use while driving is a traffic contravention and people can contest fines in front of local tribunals. The fine for using a mobile phone while driving is €100 and the driver is penalised between three and six penalty points on his licence for such an offence.

A full driving licence is revoked if at any time during any period of twelve months, its holder accumulates in aggregate twelve penalty points or more.