Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

DRIVING

Sweden’s new SMS law ushers drivers to court

Fifteen drivers have been charged for using their mobile phones after a law change last year that critics said was "ridiculous" because it neither allows nor prohibits phone use while behind the wheel.

Published: 14 January 2014 11:17 CET

Sweden's new SMS law ushers drivers to court

File photo: TT

Swedish prosecutors charged 15 drivers in December with using their phones in a manner which affected their driving ability. One of the accused, however, slammed the new law.

"The law as such is ridiculous; either you outlaw it or you don't outlaw it," the accused told TV4 news. "It isn't illegal to speak on the phone, so I don't understand what they are trying to achieve."

The first verdict in a case that referenced the new mobile law is expected at the end of January, and will be watched closely. Several of Sweden's police officers have also said the new legislation was not a welcome addition.

"Some think it's worthless," Norrbotten County traffic police spokesman told the TT news agency on Tuesday. "There are other things that are at least as dangerous to do while you are driving."

The new law was introduced in December. Up until then, drivers in Sweden could freely send text messages or speak on their phone without using a hands-free device.The new law, while not prohibiting the use of mobile phones explicitly, states that it is no longer permitted to use them or a GPS in any manner that could be deemed "detrimental" to driving.

"What that means is up to the police," Hans-Yngve Berg of the Swedish Transit Authority (Transportstyrelsen) told Sveriges Television (SVT) at the time, but the police complained there was little or no guidelines in how they should implement the law.

"We have really no instructions," said Bengt Svensson of the national police force's traffic unit. "We won't see the practical significance until after a few convictions."

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

EXPLAINED: When can a child sit in the front seat of a car in Switzerland?

In Switzerland, a simple rule for taking children in motor vehicles has been in place for a good two decades: Every child up to a height of 150 cm or the age of 12 must travel in a suitable child seat.

Its Austrian neighbour has even stricter rules in place. Babies and children in Austria must be correctly secured in a child’s seat up to the age of 14 if they are below 135 cm in height.

The German law takes a more relaxed approach and regulates that children from the age of 12 or those that are taller than 150 cm can ride in the vehicle without a child seat – with the appropriate seat belt, of course.

When can a child sit in the front?

According to the law in Switzerland, once a child has reached a height of 150 cm, they can sit anywhere in the car with or without a child or booster seat.

However, a child needs to reach a minimum height of 150 cm for the safety belts to guarantee their safety in a way that the neck is not constricted while driving in the event of sudden braking or an accident.

In principle, children are allowed to sit on the front passenger seat regardless of their age, however, this is not recommended by experts who argue that children are much safer in the back of the car. Furthermore, if a vehicle is equipped with airbags, rear-facing car seats may only be used if the front airbag on the passenger’s side is deactivated.

A driver at the Stelvio Pass, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Switzerland.

A driver at the Stelvio Pass, Santa Maria Val Müstair, Switzerland. Photo by Jaromír Kavan on Unsplash

Can I be fined for my child travelling without an appropriate car seat?

You can and you will. The fine for transporting an unsecured child under the age of 12 is 60 francs, which, given the risk driving without an appropriate child seat poses to your child’s life, is mild.

But what about public transport?

Though this may seem illogical to some, Switzerland does not have any safety laws dictating that car seats be used on its buses, meaning it is not uncommon to see mothers standing in the aisle of a packed bus with a baby in a sling while struggling to hold on to a pole for stability.

Though politicians did briefly discuss equipping buses with baby and child seats in 2017 to avoid potential risks to minors, nothing came of it. Ultimately, supplying buses with special seats or introducing seat belts proved unrealistic given the number of seats and considering how often people hop on and off a bus – there is a stop almost every 300 metres in Switzerland.

Instead, drivers are now better informed of the dangers posed to minors travelling on their vehicles and parents are advised to leave children in strollers and not load those with heavy shopping bags.

Url copied to clipboard!