You can no longer hold your phone while in traffic

We’ve all done it before; whipping out our smartphones and scroll through Facebook or Instagram while waiting for the traffic light to turn green.

Well, you can no longer do that as it is now reportedly an offence to hold your phone while you’re behind the wheel.

Federal traffic investigation and enforcement department director SAC Datuk Mahamad Akhir Darus told theSun that authorities will be cracking down on motorists who fiddle with their phones while driving.

“Motorists caught holding a mobile phone while driving will be issued a summons. Unlike criminal cases where the onus is on us to prove one’s guilt, this is a compound summons and it is up to the offenders to prove otherwise if they wish to dispute their case,” he was quoted by the daily as saying.

And yes, that includes holding your phone while you’re stuck in a traffic jam or waiting for the traffic light to turn green.

“There is no reason for a motorist to be holding a mobile phone when his or her hands should be on the wheel focusing on the driving. When the car is in motion, a driver should be looking through his windscreen and not his smartphone screen. A split-second distraction is all it takes to result in a crash,” he was further quoted as saying.

This came after Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai revealed last weekend that the main cause of road accidents in the country was reportedly due to the usage of mobile phones while driving.

So, consider yourself warned, guys!