The rules here in NZ – Under the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 drivers can’t use, while driving, a hand-held mobile phone (including PDA or BlackBerry) to:
make, receive or terminate a telephone call
create, send or read a text message or email
create, send or view a video message
communicate in a similar or any other way.
Penalties are an $80 fine and 20 demerit points.
Drivers can use a mobile phone to make a call while driving only if it is an emergency situation and unsafe or impracticable to stop the vehicle to make the call.
The ban includes other telecommunications devices such as Blackberrys and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) but excludes two-way radios. However, a driver may, while driving a vehicle, use a mobile phone in a way described in 1 and 5 above provided the mobile phone:
does not require the driver to hold or physically manipulate it to make, receive, or terminate the call (e.g. Blue Tooth technology)
is secured in a mounting fixed to the vehicle and the driver manipulates the phone infrequently and briefly (e.g. hands-free kits)
In addition, the Rule exempts drivers who make a 111 or *555 call provided it is unsafe or impracticable for the driver to stop and park the vehicle to make the call; or if the vehicle has stopped for a reason other than the normal starting and stopping of vehicles in a flow of traffic.
If you get more than 100 demerit points in a two year period your licence will be suspended for 3 months and will have to relicence at the end of the 3 months. Demerit points remain active for two years.
For many that is not enough to dissuade them from using a device while driving. I always make sure my mobile is somewhere I can’t get to it easily while driving.