# Touching your phone while driving: getting the law changed



## Jack Malarkey (Jan 11, 2016)

The ACT very recently amended its road traffic law to clarify that rideshare, taxi and hire car drivers may touch their mounted phones or other mobile devices (for example) to accept, reject, begin and end trips.

These amendments were made at the instigation of the very lowliest of ants (yours truly) simply emailing the ACT road safety minister.

For full details, see https://uberpeople.net/threads/act-...to-accept-or-reject-ride-requests-etc.374376/.

The lesson here is that it's worthwhile at least trying to get these sorts of things changed.

My recollection is that the relevant law about touching phones for rideshare purposes is okay in New South Wales and Queensland (and now the ACT) but is definitely problematic in Victoria and South Australia.

I don't know about the position in Western Australia, Tasmania or the Northern Territory.

If you do decide to try to do something about this, it may be helpful to act promptly and to cite the recent amendments in the ACT.


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## MaybeUber (Jan 27, 2018)

Well done. I have sent an email to the WA minister citing the ACT amendments. We will see what happens.


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## Jack Malarkey (Jan 11, 2016)

Jack Malarkey said:


> My recollection is that the relevant law about touching phones for rideshare purposes is okay in New South Wales and Queensland (and now the ACT) but is definitely problematic in Victoria and South Australia.





MaybeUber said:


> Well done. I have sent an email to the WA minister citing the ACT amendments. We will see what happens.


I have recently established that the law is definitely also problematic in Western Australia.

This matter is coming into sharp focus in that state in the light of proposed increased fines of $1,000: see https://uberpeople.net/threads/wa-i...or-using-mobile-phones-whilst-driving.378806/.

See also https://uberpeople.net/threads/ride...hat-allow-them-to-touch-their-mobiles.378131/.

Drivers in the Northern Territory and Tasmania may wish to contact their respective road safety ministers and establish the legal position there and, if required, instigate attempts to have the law changed.


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