Emergency services join forces for ‘My Red Thumb’ Day 2021
Starting today (12 May 2021), Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service – with partners from Devon and Somerset County Council, the Devon Air Ambulance, Devon and Cornwall Police, Avon and Somerset Police and Highways England (and others) – will take part in a social media road safety campaign My Red Thumb Day.
My Red Thumb Day is a national campaign aimed at drivers and passengers. It highlights the importance of not being distracted by a mobile device while driving.
Drivers and their passengers are being asked to break the habit of looking at or using mobile devices behind the wheel, including the use of handsfree. They are being asked to send in photos and videos of them putting their ‘thumbs up for mobiles down’ to @myredthumb on Twitter, Facebook and TikTok. More information at www.myredthumb.com
Phones behind the wheel: the law
Did you know?
- You can get 6 penalty points and a £200 fine if you use a hand-held phone when driving. You’ll also lose your licence if you passed your driving test in the last 2 years.
- You can get 3 penalty points if you don’t have a full view of the road and traffic ahead or proper control of the vehicle.
- You can also be taken to court where you can: be banned from driving or riding and get a maximum fine of £1,000
Source: UK government - read more
Chris Boston, Watch Manager for road safety at Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said:
“This is a fun social media campaign with a serious message – mobile phone use while driving is a major contributory factor to a high number of fatal road traffic collisions. Mobile devices are used by the vast majority of the population and breaking the habit of looking at the screen can be hard to break, so My Red Thumb day is about raising awareness that we all need to stop being distracted behind the wheel and about offering solutions to how to achieve that.”
