Driving around with your mobile phone on your lap while using navigation apps or talking in loudspeaker mode can get you in trouble with the police, reports The Star. The news outlet spoke to Candi Wan, whose sister was stopped by the police while they were on holiday in Penang.
At the time, Wan’s sister was driving and navigating the streets using an app on the phone. “She had the phone on her lap and at a roundabout, she held up the phone for just a couple of seconds to double-check the direction,” Wan said.
A policeman spotted her holding the phone and pulled her over. “We told the policeman that my sister had held the phone for only a very short while and it was really on her lap. The policeman said even putting the phone on her lap was wrong,” recalled Wan. Wan’s sister was then issued a summon to appear before a magistrate in August.
According to George Town OCPD Asst Comm Soffian Santong, drivers cannot place their phone on the lap. Instead, they should use a car phone mount to position the phone for navigation in such a way that the driver can see the road while glancing at the screen. “This is because you will have to look down (at the phone in your lap) at the map on the screen. This can lead to an accident,” Soffian explained.
Even with a car phone mount, drivers are not supposed to tap or flick on the screen for no reason. “Stop and fix it if something is wrong with the navigation. When you are adjusting the phone on the phone holder, you can knock into someone,” Soffian noted.
He added that drivers are also not allowed to pick up their handphones while waiting at a red light as it can lead to traffic getting held due to the driver not noticing the light turning green. Soffian also pointed out it is “not about issuing summonses but about making it safe for ourselves and others on the road”.
Using a phone while driving is not a compoundable offence, and drivers must appear before a magistrate. Anyone charged with using a mobile phone while operating a vehicle can be fined up to RM1,000 (RM300 minimum) or sentenced to a maximum three months’ jail term if found guilty. Second-time offenders can be fined up to RM2,000 and a jail term not exceeding six months, or both.
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But my car got ADAS!!! how can….
You got bring calculator to add maths exam also got E or F. How??? Meaning got technology also not really helpful sometime. Use your brain, God give you one already.
Having just ADAS is incomplete, should bought and drives car with autopilot system. Best way is hiring chauffeur or a transporter sending you to your destination seating comfy playing phone ipad tablet during whole journey without stress ok
Thats just stupid… Fingering those useless big infotainment screens while your eyes AND attention away from actually driving is ok?? Sometimes we need the phone to navigate…
You know most of car nowadays got navigation built-in in the infotainment right? Some car manufacturer put this as add-on. Go subscribe or buy la. Beli kereta mahal2, tahu nak pakai GPS, bayar lo…
Do use your apple carplay or android auto voice command function if not available go subscribe it or seek accessories shop for installation.
Problem is the imbalanced enforcement. Police always target the female drivers or old folk, but that ahbeng/rempit/macha doing it the whole journey while tailgating you gets away scot free.
Test
How you know its imbalanced? Show us your source of data. Talkcock without data is easy.
“Wireless Apple Car play should be mandatory for all new cars in 2023 for safety reason”
– Ah Siong –
.. and then all the new cars put everything in a laptop screen and hide them in menus and submenus for you to have fun with, speaking about fun, now even put computer games on as well.. oh, only rich people can do that. the rest who uses the mobile phone sorry yeah, it is illegal.
That is so dumb honestly.
1. There is no evidence to suggest that drivers can concentrate better at driving when their phones are at a phone mount. Furthermore, there is no evidence that looking down on our lap is safer than looking at the phone mount.
2. Phone mount may not be suitable for all phones, especially when a phone case is used.
3. In most cases, stopping on the shoulder of a busy road may be more dangerous / difficult than checking / adjusting the phone. Furthermore, in the case of Candi Wan, she was at a roundabout. It would be even more dangerous for her to be unsure about where she needs to go (hence driving very slowly and hesitantly around the roundabout) than checking the phone for a little bit to be certain. I much rather follow a driver checking the exits before a roundabout than follow a driver who is unsure which exit to take.
Let me reply you.
1. It clearly show you have lack of knowledge and simply bash here and there with your empty brain. There are plenty of research, there is even one good research by Malaysians from UNIMAP. Don’t be lazy and do a lot of research, a good exercise for your brain.
2. If you think the phone case is not suitable, either find another phone case or phone holder that is suitable la. Worst, dont use a phone case. Takkan you saiz XXL, nak pakai spender saiz M. Otak udang.
3. This one, driver should study where he/she want to go first before drive. If let say forgot where to turn also, our road are well connected. You missed a turn, can always come back. Signboard also everywhere, use that as a reference. If you dont know how to use the signboard, you must be failed at geography at school. Bodoh piang. Walauwey, when you want buy a car, pandai pula research harga, spec. When you want to watch movie, pandai pula research rating, actors, story line, etc.
Conclusion – cikgu kamu mesti malu kalau tahu kamu tulis begini.
I really like the way u replied!!!
Well said,bro
Mantap Nama
I’ve no navigator, hence I’ve but to keep on round and round a round-about until I figure out which way to move… End up, there are many cars behind me.
Interesting. What EVIDENCE can the Police give?? They NEED a photo of the HP on your Lap. Plus that your Attention was diverted from your driving. Both are Difficult to give SOLID evidence. Talking ….. %^%$^#%
They are law enforcement officers. They as a witness to your “crime” is good enough for the court.
I wanna see you justify like that in court, see who kencing dalam seluar. Sembang kencang sini boleh la bro. Go and understand the responsibility and authority of a police officer, then you will understand. They have the right to stop or detain you any time.
Why not go to car accessories shop to fix aftermarket android auto or apple carplay into your car if no factory headunit support?
Finally a constructive comment. Others all complaint jer tahu.
Double standard. What about all those motorcycles?
This is an indication that navigating by using the combination of memorizing a map before the journey, reading signboards on the road & looking out for landmarks, is becoming a lost skill.
Yet millions of idiots uses their phones like they’re on the bed every day behind the wheel. No enforcement, no action taken.
Well, good move for the law enforcement authority. I had encountered road rage last Sunday, the offender showed attitude by blocking cars behind , went to report to JPJ, they are preparing to change this fella 4 offences with dash cam vid. Padan muka …
Soon pulis is gonna fine you for changing radio stations
Genuine question, where is the line drawn at using the car’s navigation or infotainment system? If the car is on the move, am I allowed to change the volume by tapping on the infotainment screen, or switch radio channels using the center dial (like in BMWs and Mazdas)?
I get the rationale behind restricting mobile use while driving but would that be very different than the actions mentioned above?
when a car has infotainment system with built-in navi app should also has buttons or nipples or directional remote control on the steering wheel, do use it, its countered productive to use fingers touching the infortainment screen. If your car infortainment has voice commands function do use it.
Thank you for that. The point on using buttons on the steering wheel is definitely a valid point. My concern lies on what the OCPD asst comm said, that one should not tap or flick the phone screen, even if the device is mounted. I could see a potential discussion on this extending to other systems, essentially “why use phone cannot but tap on my infotainment can?”. After all, the reason for this enforcement is to reduce distraction. Even if changing channels takes 1 millisecond, it is a distraction nonetheless. Just my humble take on this…
That said, if this ruling is explicitly stated to limit to mobile use, leaving all other in-car systems inapplicable to this ruling, then okay, there is no discussion.
Trust me, I even play games during driving and almost hit the front car. Yet I still play my games hahahahaha.. but my speed will be slower than usual la. need to concentrate on driving a bit mah
People like you should have their driver’s license suspended
Damn.. This is stupidity. You should not be proud here..
I rather take drugs and get away with RM2000 fine with no jail term.
JAIL?!bruh the fine is enough already,btw what if someone calls you while you’re driving or have stopped at a red light
For those drivng watch video, or live stream?? Although is using car holder but that will make you more lost focus than a gps as you need view it all the times.
There are many more drivers using their phone on the highway too. Some drivers are driving very slow and obstructing traffic. Police should be more vigilant on this issue.
more way for police to get kopi duit well done lol.
LOL, RM 1000 fine? No feel la for Malaysian. All can afford.
JPJ sudah hit target. PDRM pun mau hit target mah.
Fine rm1000 rather too heavy if not holding the phone with hand. While some bastard 1 hand hold phone not giving signal when turn or drive slow blocking car behind should be fine + jail.
Phone on lap or motorbikes riding against traffic / beating red lights?
doesn’t this by default render all grab drivers as illegal?