Taxis: Software
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department (a) has issued and (b) plans to issue guidance to developers of private hire booking apps and navigation applications on ensuring that such applications can be operated in a hands-free and distraction-minimising manner while driving.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood
The Department for Transport has not issued specific guidance to developers of navigation or private hire applications but engages with industry and monitors how these technologies are used in practice.
The law is clear; drivers are responsible for maintaining proper control of their vehicle and always paying attention to the road. It is illegal to hold and use a mobile phone or similar device whilst driving, including when a vehicle is stopped in traffic or at traffic lights. Where a driver is distracted or not in proper control of their vehicle, enforcement is an operational matter for the police.
The Government will continue to assess the benefits of such technologies while supporting the development of safer, distraction‑minimising systems.
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