M50 driver steering van with his knees while using two phones
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A van driver is facing a hefty fine after they were caught allegedly steering their vehicle with their knees while using two mobile phones on a busy motorway during rush hour.
Gardai launched a 24-hour National Day of Action at 12am on Wednesday targeting mobile phone use and distracted driving. Distracted driving is defined as any behaviour that diverts a driver's attention from the road.
And while on patrol of the M50 at Blanchardstown yesterday, members of the Grada Road Policing Unit spotted a van 'swerving' in and out of lane three. When the officers pulled the vehicle over, they discovered that the motorist was 'talking on a phone using his right hand while scrolling through a second phone using his left hand and the van was being steered by his knees'.
Gardai said that the driver has now been reported for dangerous driving. Posting about the incident on the official An Garda Siochana Twitter page, a garda spokesperson said: "While on patrol of the M50 at Blanchardstown, this van was seen swerving in and out of lane 3.
"Driver was talking on a phone using his right hand while scrolling through a second phone using his left hand and the van was being steered by his knees during rush hour traffic. The driver has now been reported for dangerous driving. This was just one of a number of detections today as part of our a National Day of Action targeting mobile phone use while driving."
Motorists who are detected holding a mobile phone while driving will receive a Fixed Charge Penalty Notice (FCPN) of €120 and three penalty points on their driving licence. The penalties are even harsher if the dangerous driving causes death or serious bodily harm.
According to the Road Safety Authority, distracted driving - including mobile phone use - is estimated to be a contributing factor in 20–30 per cent of all collisions on Irish roads. The daily average detected using their phone while driving during 2024 was 60. Over 21,500 drivers received FCPNs last year having been detected using their phone while behind the wheel.
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