What happens if you are caught driving while on the phone?

Depending on what country you are in when you are caught, if you are not using a hands-free phone you may be fined and/or have an endorsement or points on your driving licence. In the UK it's a £60 fine and three points. If you cause an accident then the penalty will increase, and may include a lengthy prison sentence.

It is reckoned that driving whilst using a phone is as hazardous as driving whilst drunk. Using a hands-free phone has little change in this risk, as your concentration is still distracted from the road.

As a motorcyclist I often see drivers holding a phone to one ear and as a result not looking to that side when they are manoeuvring or pulling out into my path. Similarly, pedestrians with a phone clamped to their head are likely to step into the road without looking round.