Ignore This ‘Viral Text’ About Using Mobile Phones While Car Engine is Idle
(Photo Credit: Pexels)
If you’ve received this text message (below) on WhatsApp, ignore it because it’s fake.
A viral WhatsApp message is currently being circulated, informing drivers that they will lose their driving licence for three months if they’re caught using a mobile phone while driving, or while their car engine is left running.
Ignore this fake viral message on Whatsapp (Photo Credit: Straits Times)
The message claims that this “new legislation” was recently passed in Parliament. This however, isn’t true.
A quick search on the Singapore Police Force (SPF) website revealed that drivers will only be penalized if the following three conditions have been met:
(a) the vehicle is in motion; and
(b) the driver is holding on to any Mobile Communication Devices (MCD) with one hand; and
(c) the driver using any function of the MCD
Functions include “making phone calls, paging for someone, receiving a call by pressing the keypad, surfing the Internet, playing games, sending of SMS”.
Although using mobile devices while a vehicle is stationary is not an offence, the SPF advises drivers to refrain from doing so as they should always remain attentive to their surroundings.
If caught using a mobile device while driving, the offender will be charged in court and be liable for a fine of up to S$1,000 and/or be sentenced to jail for no more than six months. Besides a fine and jail term, the offender might also be disqualified from driving.
For repeated offenders, the punishment meted out will be doubled.
Source: Straits Times and Singapore Police Force
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