Loophole lets you avoid £1,000 fine for sat-nav mistake while driving

A CHEAP and easy loophole lets you avoid a £1,000 fine for making sat-nav mistakes while driving, it has been revealed.

The little-known hack means that motorists can set up their navigation systems without falling foul of the Highway Code.

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Given that sat nav apps have now become popular on smartphones, Brits should be aware that using your mobile, even to check your route, could see you slapped with a penalty charge.

Road laws forbid any use of handheld devices, including phones, tablets and portable sat navs, while in control of a vehicle.

This means that having such a device in your hand for any reason while driving could see you handed a £1,000 fine or a ban.

The rules even apply if you are not moving or have a car which turns the engine off when you come to a halt.

However, there is a way around this, as the Government allows the use of hands-free devices.

This includes those placed on a windscreen mount or dashboard holder, as long as it does not block your view of the road.

Phone holders are available online for just £6, while specialist sat nav mounts can be picked up for as little as a fiver.

They allow you to interact with your chosen route map without risking a brush with the law.

Exemptions also apply to built-in sat navs and using devices to make contactless payments at drive-thrus.

However, experts at Which? still urged caution, as there are also rules around remaining in control of your vehicle and not becoming distracted.

They advised: “Using hands-free equipment is also likely to distract your attention from the road, which could leave you open to a charge of careless driving.

“To stay safe, we’d recommend always pulling over in a safe place before attempting to program or otherwise manipulate your smartphone or sat nav device.”

It is legal to use both handheld and hands-free devices while safely parked.

It comes after drivers were issued an urgent warning over a potential £5,000 fine over a little-known fuel rule.

Meanwhile, motorists were told how packing their car wrong this summer could cost them £2,500.