ONE TAP TOO FAR The practical answer


Taxi and private hire drivers can use technology. They cannot allow technology to compromise driving standards.


A driver should not hold a phone while driving. Traffic lights and queues should not be treated as opportunities to check the app. Job details, passenger messages and operator instructions should not be read while moving. Devices used for navigation or booking information should be properly mounted and positioned so that they do not obstruct the driver’s view. Voice features, audio alerts and auto-accept functions should be used where appropriate. Where a booking requires reading, judgment or manual response, the driver should stop safely before dealing with it.


to booking or passenger information while moving. But the policy must also be reflected in dispatch systems, driver onboarding, refresher training, disciplinary processes and the operator’s own expectations about acceptance rates and response times.


Technology may assist where used properly. Voice prompts, audio job allocation, auto-accept functions, built-in vehicle systems, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and properly positioned mounts may reduce risk. They do not remove the underlying legal test. The driver remains responsible for control of the vehicle. The operator remains responsible for ensuring that its operating model does not generate avoidable public safety concerns.


The practical implications are significant. These issues commonly arise after a roadside stop, a police report, dashcam footage, a passenger complaint, an insurance incident, or a licensing authority review. A driver confronted with an allegation engaging the fit and proper test may need to address both the motoring law position and the licensing consequences. An operator whose dispatch arrangements are said to encourage driver distraction may need to demonstrate that its systems are designed around legal compliance and public safety, not merely commercial efficiency.


PHTM AUGUST 2026


A very brief tap on a properly mounted device may be materially different from holding a phone or scrolling through an app. But it is not an official rule, and it is not a defence to careless driving. The device must not be held. The driver’s view must not be obstructed. Proper control must be maintained throughout. Once the driver begins “massaging the screen”, reading details, selecting between options, or typing a response, the conduct may quickly move


from operational convenience into road traffic and licensing risk.


A fare is not worth six penalty points, a £200 fine, a licensing referral, or the loss of a driver’s livelihood. The more serious point is that licensing authorities are not concerned only with punishment after the event. They are concerned with future risk. A driver or operator who treats mobile device use casually may find that a single incident becomes a broader inquiry into judgment, compliance and public safety.


Where these issues arise, they require careful handling. The factual evidence, the precise nature of the device use, the driving circumstances, the licence conditions, the local authority policy and the driver’s disclosure obligations may all affect the outcome. I specialise in transport regulatory and licensing law, including representation before licensing sub-committees, Traffic Commissioners and appellate courts and tribunals. Drivers, operators and transport managers facing investigation, licence review, refusal, suspension, revocation or public inquiry arising from mobile phone use, app-based working practices or wider compliance concerns are welcome to make contact for advice or representation.


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