Hold a phone while driving in S'pore? Face up to S$1,000 fine, up to 6 months' jail.

Merely holding a phone while driving in Singapore could soon be criminalised under a proposed new law.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) tabled the Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill on Jul. 7.

Drivers who hold a mobile communication device while their vehicle is in motion will commit an offence under amendments to Singapore's road traffic laws.

The changes, introduced under the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill, remove the requirement to prove that a driver was operating the device while behind the wheel.

A mobile communication device refers to a mobile phone, or any wireless handheld device or wearable device designed or capable of being used for communication, and includes tablets and smart watches.

No need to prove usage of device

The amendment removes the need to prove that the driver was using the device.

Instead, it will be an offence for a driver to hold a mobile communication device in hand while the vehicle is moving, regardless of whether the device is being used.

The change will also allow traffic police to enforce the offence using camera footage or photographic and video evidence submitted by the public, improving the detection of such offences.

However, the amendment does not affect the use of devices mounted on a holder, which remains permitted.

Drivers may also hold their mobile devices when their vehicle is stationary.

No changes in penalties

There will also be no changes to the penalties for this offence.

First-time offenders prosecuted in court face a maximum fine of S$1,000, up to six months' jail, or both.

Repeat offenders may be fined up to S$2,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both.

Offences committed in school zones, silver zones, or Friendly Zones Streets incur two additional demerit points and an additional S$100 fine.

Under the current law, a driver commits an offence if he or she holds a mobile communication device and uses any of its communicative or other functions while the vehicle is in motion.

No proof of harm is required.

In response to media queries, MHA said "There is no reason for a driver to hold a handphone while the vehicle is in motion, at the risk of distracting the driver and endangering road users. And as such, it would be considered an offence."

The Road Traffic Act was amended in 2014 to make it an offence to hold and use any type of mobile communication device while driving.

The law was expanded to include surfing the web, visiting social media platforms and downloading material and not just prohibiting calling or texting.