Is it illegal to have a phone mount on my car windshield?

USING a sat nav system on your phone can make it much easier not to get lost when driving on unfamiliar streets.

But is it illegal to have a phone holder on the windscreen of a motor vehicle and are there certain restrictions on where it can be placed?

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Can I be fined for having a phone holder on my windshield?

Safety experts have warned drivers that they could risk causing an accident if a device is not positioned correctly on their car’s windshield, so it is very important to be careful about where the phone holder is placed.

Previously, the law only prohibited portable calls and messages while driving, which was referred to as “interactive communication.”

Using your phone for anything else, like setting a trip in a navigation app, scrolling through a social media site’s feed, or selecting songs from a playlist, was effectively cool.

In 2022, these loopholes were closed in an effort to stop Brits playing with their phones while behind the wheel, leading many drivers to strap their phones to their windscreens for easier access.

It is now illegal for drivers to touch their phones or devices except in a genuine emergency.

Those who break this by scrolling, taking selfies or playing games while driving face a fine and points on their driver’s license, and could face even harsher punishments if they are caught video chatting behind the wheel.

Hands-free calling and using a phone for satellite navigation will continue to be permitted as long as you do not enter your journey destination whilst driving.

And there’s a McDonald’s exception – meaning hungry Brits will still be able to use their phones to pay for food at drive-thrus and tolls.

Before the law changed in 2022, Brits had been able to avoid heavy fines since a High Court ruling in 2019 which said drivers only committed an offense if they used their phone or device for “interactive communication”.

Where should the phone holder go on the windshield?

There are no specific rules about where sat nav systems or phones must be placed, but the position of a phone used as a sat nav could cause drivers to break the Highway Code.

Technically, phone and sat nav mounts attached to the windscreen are a code violation.

The code says that “windshields and windows MUST be kept clean and free from obstructions to vision.”

A phone holder stuck in the windshield could be seen as an obstruction to the driver’s view in a court case.

And the Road Traffic Act says that “no person shall drive a motor vehicle on a road if they are in a position where they cannot… have a full view of the road and traffic ahead.”

Highway safety officer Neil Worth said the safest place for a holder is “in the lower right corner of the windscreen”.

An AA spokesman said a satellite navigation system “must be programmed with the route before you set off”.

Can I be fined for having my navigator on the windshield?

It’s not technically illegal to mount a sat nav system in the middle of a windscreen, but obstructing your view could result in a £100 on-the-spot fine.

Drivers can also receive six penalty points on their driving license.

Anyone who unsuccessfully challenges the decision in court could be fined £1,000.

If the position of a sat nav system blocks the driver’s view and causes an accident, the driver is more likely to be at fault.

It can also impact the driver’s insurance claims.

And drivers who use a satellite navigation system or phone that is not on the dashboard or windscreen can be fined £200 and receive up to six penalty points.