While using your phone while driving may seem obviously against the law, you’re allowed to do certain things if it is in a holder. We answer the question ‘Can you use your phone in the car if it is mounted?’.
With all the new cameras around Australia ready to detect phone misuse while driving, it can be nerve-racking to know if you’re doing the right thing.
RELATED: Can P-platers use Apple CarPlay?
Having your phone in a cradle or mount is an excellent way to ensure that it’s not in your hands while driving, but are you allowed to touch it at all?
We run through everything you need to know about phones in cradles.
Can you use your phone in the car if it is mounted?
The laws around phone use in a cradle depend on the state you live in and what class of licence you hold.
Are you allowed to have your phone in a holder on your P-plates?
Red P-platers and learner licence holders are not permitted to use their phones while in a phone mount. That means no GPS, phone calls, or Spotify.
It is a nationwide ban for all P1 and learner drivers. For any navigation needs, they will need to purchase a separate sat-nav or use an in-built system (CarPlay systems are not allowed).
It falls under the same rules as connecting your phone to Bluetooth/CarPlay, which we have covered extensively here.
For green P-platers, you are allowed to have the phone in a cradle while in QLD, SA, WA, and TAS as long as you follow the rules for full-licensed drivers listed below.
New South Wales
According to Service NSW, “phone holders must be commercially manufactured and fixed to your vehicle and must not obscure your vision”.
The site also specifies that you are allowed to “use and touch your phone” while it is in a phone holder to make or receive calls, play audio, or use as a driver’s aid for sat-nav/dispatch apps.
Touching your phone in the holder for things like sending texts or watching videos is strictly prohibited while driving.
In NSW, the fine for using your phone while driving is $387, or $514 if the offence is detected in a school zone, and five demerit points.
Victoria
According to Transport Victoria, “Drivers with a full licence can use a mobile phone or device to make or receive a phone call, use audio and music functions, use GPS navigation or use in-built driver assistance or vehicle safety features. However, the device must be properly mounted or built in to the vehicle”.
Mounted devices have the same rules as in-built systems in Victoria. This means you are allowed to briefly touch the mounted device to make or receive calls, play audio, or use it as a driver’s aid for sat-nav/dispatch apps.
Things like texting, watching videos and video calling are prohibited.
The fine for using your phone while driving in Victoria is $555 and four demerit points.
Queensland
Transport Queensland specifies that “if you’re an open or P2 licence holder, you are also allowed to touch your mobile phone for hands-free use if, for example, the phone is in a cradle attached to the vehicle”.
“The position of your mobile phone must not obscure the driver’s view of the road.”
The rules only specify that you are allowed to accept a call, use navigation apps, skip a song or accept/end a trip as a rideshare driver.
The fine for using your phone while driving in Queensland is $1161 and four demerit points.
South Australia
The Department of Infrastructure South Australia specifies “Except for learner drivers and P1 drivers, a mobile phone may only be used to make or receive a phone call (defined to exclude email, text or video messages) and only if the phone is either secured in a mounting affixed to the vehicle or remotely operated”.
Unlike the other states, you’re not allowed to touch the phone to skip a song or adjust your navigation, even if it is in a cradle.
The fine for phone use while driving in South Australia is $556, a $102 Victims of Crime Levy, and three demerit points.
Western Australia
According to Transport Western Australia, “WA drivers can only touch a mobile phone to make, receive and terminate calls if the phone is secured in a cradle mounted to the vehicle”.
“It is illegal for all drivers to create, send or look at a text message, video message, email or similar – even if the phone is mounted in a cradle or can be operating without touching it.”
Strangely enough, that means saying, “Hey Siri, send a message to X”. Also, unlike other states, you’re not allowed to touch the phone to skip a song or adjust your navigation, even if it is in a cradle.
If you touch your phone, you are fined $500 and given three demerit points. This is bumped up to $1000 and four demerit points if you are caught “creating, sending, or looking at a text, email, social media, photo, video or similar”.
Northern Territory
Road Safety Northern Territory says that “drivers can only use a mobile phone while driving to make or receive an audio phone call or as a driver’s aid. This is only permitted if the phone is secured in a commercially designed mount fixed to the vehicle or can be operated by the driver without touching any part of the phone”.
You can touch the phone when making or receiving a phone call or operating navigation, but things like texting, watching videos, and video calling are prohibited.
The fine for misuse of mobile phones is $500 and three demerit points in the Northern Territory.
Tasmania
According to Transport Tasmania, “using a mobile phone while driving is banned except to make or receive a phone call provided the phone is secured in a commercially designed holder fixed to the vehicle; or can be operated by the driver without touching any part of the phone”.
“All other functions (including video calls, texting and emailing) are prohibited.”
Accepting, declining, and making a phone call are allowed if the phone is in the cradle, but you could be fined for all other actions while driving.
The fine for misuse of mobile phones is $390 and three demerit points in Tasmania.
Australian Capital Territory
City Services ACT says that you are allowed to use your phone to play music and use GPS navigation as long as you are on your full licence, it is in a holder and “you do not touch your mobile device or change the settings in any way while you are driving”.
You’re also allowed to make and receive phone calls on your full licence, “If your mobile device is mounted to the vehicle using a mobile phone holder or connected via Bluetooth or wired connection (such as CarPlay or Android Auto), you can touch your device while it is in a mobile phone holder (or use your steering wheel controls or touch the CarPlay or Android Auto screen) to make or receive calls but for no other reason”.
The fine for phone misuse in the ACT is $514 and three demerit points.
The post Can you use your phone in the car if it is mounted? appeared first on Drive.