Australian state lifts ban on driving with phone GPS

Stephen Withers
Monday, 19 October 2009 12:55

Your IT - Mobility

Using the navigation and music functions of a mobile phone will not - after all - be made illegal in the Australian state of Victoria. Is this a victory for common sense?

As recently reported, a change to the road rules in Victoria, Australia would have made it illegal for a driver to use the navigation functions of a GPS-enabled mobile phone, such as an iPhone running one of the navigation apps now available from Apple's App Store.

The change was one of several due to come into effect on November 9.

The regulation was intended to tighten up on the use of a handheld phone. It seems there was concern that someone making an illegal phone call or SMS might try to avoid a fine or prosecution by claiming they were using the phone's navigation function.

However, using a single-function GPS device would still have been legal, as would operating an in-car audio system.

The state government has now apparently changed its mind and realised there is no real difference between using a dedicated GPS or audio system and using those functions when they are part of a phone.

According to Vic Roads' (the state road authority) web site, "The new mobile phone rules have been revised. The change now allows both the navigational (GPS) and audio/music functions of a mobile phone to be used, provided the mobile phone is secured in a commercially designed holder fixed to the vehicle."

Please read on to find out how Vic Roads now summarises the forthcoming rule.