From 1 July, anyone in the Netherlands caught texting while cycling will be fined 95 euros. That is what sources in The Hague report.
According to insiders, this new traffic fine will be discussed tomorrow at the weekly cabinet meeting. The amount is reportedly in line with other penalties that already apply to traffic offences.
For cyclists, cycling under the influence currently costs 100 euros, and overtaking on the right or running a red light 95 euros. Ignoring a police stop signal is considerably more expensive: 150 euros. Administration costs are added to all these amounts.
A driver has to pay 240 euros if caught driving with a phone in their hand. According to experts, the difference with the 95-euro fine for cyclists can be explained partly by the damage (to others) the offence can cause.
Mobile electronic device
From 1 July it will in any case be forbidden to hold a mobile electronic device while driving or riding any vehicle. The term ‘mobile electronic device’ is broader than the current term ‘mobile phone’, to take future developments into account.
Dutch Minister of Infrastructure Cora van Nieuwenhuizen said earlier about the upcoming ban on texting while cycling: “When you are in traffic, you have to keep your attention on it. And not be busy with your mobile phone.”
On average, 49 percent of Dutch consumers currently use their mobile phone while cycling. Among 18 to 24-year-olds, as many as three quarters use their phone on the bike, according to research by Deloitte published last November.
Texting is the most distracting
According to traffic experts at the Dutch road safety research institute SWOV, activities that keep your eyes off the road for a long time are especially dangerous: texting tops the list. Research also shows that hands-free calling and listening to music through earbuds lead to worse road behaviour too.
The exact number of road casualties caused by distraction is unknown. Ten years ago, two older Dutch studies arrived at an indication of 3 to 4 percent of cycling accidents with some injury being preceded by phone use.
This percentage is expected to have only risen in recent years, due to the growing popularity of mobile phones.
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