FAQ - Emergency Alerts - Q&A-14

You MUST NOT hold a mobile phone while driving or riding a motorcycle. It is illegal to do so. You must have hands-free access such as voice command, a dashboard holder or mat, or a windscreen mount and the device must not block the driver’s view of the road or the traffic. You should not read or otherwise respond to an emergency alert whilst driving or riding a motorcycle.

Please be aware, the alert will appear on your device for 20 seconds and you will hear a loud siren-like sound for up to 10 seconds; if you are driving, you should continue to drive and not respond to the noise or attempt to pick up the mobile phone and deal with the message. Find somewhere safe and legal to stop before reading the message. If there is nowhere safe or legal to stop close by, and nobody else in the vehicle to read the alert, tune into live radio and wait for bulletins until you can find somewhere safe and legal to stop.

You must stay in full control of your vehicle at all times. The police can stop you if they think you are not in control because you are distracted, and you can be prosecuted. The law still applies if you are stopped at traffic lights, queuing in traffic or supervising a learner driver. You can, however, use a hand-held mobile phone if either you are safely parked or need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency, and it is unsafe or impractical to stop.