The Focus on the Road operation will run from 5 to 11 October. ROADPOL has announced coordinated enforcement by traffic authorities across its European road-policing network, with particular attention to behaviour that takes a driver’s eyes, hands or attention away from the road. The organisation specifically highlights the use of mobile phones and other electronic devices.
The campaign will combine intensified enforcement with information activities. For professional drivers, however, the key issue is that rules on using phones behind the wheel — and the penalties for breaking them — vary considerably from one country to another.
Poland: 500 Polish zlotys and 12 penalty points
In Poland, drivers may not use a mobile phone while driving if doing so requires them to hold the handset or microphone in their hand.
A breach currently carries a penalty of 500 Polish zlotys and 12 penalty points. Polish police also stress that the ban can cover the use of navigation on a phone when the device is being held in the driver’s hand. The phone itself may be mounted in a holder.
For professional drivers, the 12-point penalty can be particularly serious: a single offence adds a substantial number of points to the driver’s record.
Germany: fines from €100, with a driving ban possible after a safety risk
In Germany, unlawfully using a mobile phone or another electronic device while driving normally results in a fine of €100 and one penalty point.
If the offence creates a risk to road safety, the penalty rises to €150, two points and a one-month driving ban. Causing damage can lead to even more serious consequences.
The German rules cover much more than smartphones. Tablets, navigation devices, smartwatches and laptops can also fall within the scope of the regulation.
The Netherlands: a steep fine for holding a device
The Netherlands has one of the highest standard penalties for this type of offence.
Drivers can face a substantial fine for holding or unlawfully using a mobile phone or another electronic device while driving.
Dutch authorities do not rely solely on conventional roadside checks. They also use specialist camera systems known as focusflitsers to identify drivers holding electronic devices. The images are reviewed before a fine is issued.
Spain: €200 and six points for holding a mobile phone
In Spain, simply driving while holding a mobile phone in one hand can result in a €200 fine and the loss of six points.
The rules also cover manually operating navigation systems and other electronic devices. Spain’s DGT distinguishes between holding a phone in the hand — which carries the six-point penalty — and certain other forms of unlawful device use.
Italy: up to €1,000 and a licence suspension from the first offence
Italy applies considerably tougher sanctions. Unlawful phone use while driving can lead to a fine of €250 to €1,000, the loss of five points and a driving-licence suspension lasting from 15 days to two months.
A repeat offence within two years increases the financial penalty to €350 to €1,400. The driver loses 10 points, while the licence may be suspended for between one and three months.
Drivers who already have fewer than 20 points may also face a so-called short suspension. With a balance of 10 to 19 points, the suspension lasts seven days; below 10 points, it lasts 15 days. These periods may be doubled if the driver causes a crash.
France: €135 and three points, with immediate suspension possible in some areas
In France, the standard penalty for using a hand-held phone while driving is a €135 fine and the loss of three points.
That may not be the end of the matter. In some departments, prefects have begun using their authority to impose an administrative driving-licence suspension without waiting for a court ruling. France’s Ministry of the Interior confirms that the measure is already in force in several departments, including Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, Pas-de-Calais, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres, Yonne and Ardèche. The suspension can last from 15 days to six months.
As a result, the same offence can have significantly more serious consequences in France depending on where the driver is stopped.
It is not just about making a phone call
During the ROADPOL operation, drivers should remember that many countries no longer limit these rules to holding a phone to the ear while making a call.
Writing messages, checking notifications, manually operating navigation or using another electronic device in a way that takes a driver’s hands or attention away from driving can also result in a penalty.
Spain’s DGT explicitly refers to manually using navigation and other electronic devices. Germany’s rules cover a broad range of equipment used for communication, information and organisation. In Italy, the regulations also refer to tablets, notebooks and other devices whose use causes even a temporary reduction in control of the vehicle.
For lorry drivers, putting the phone down during a call is therefore only part of the picture. During an inspection, the way the device is being used may be just as important.
A week of intensified checks across Europe
ROADPOL carries out similar coordinated operations several times a year. The aim is to conduct intensive checks in multiple European countries at the same time, increasing both the likelihood that offences will be detected and drivers’ awareness.
This campaign will run for the full week — from Monday 5 October to Sunday 11 October 2026.
For international transport operators, the consequences of using a phone can vary sharply from one country to another. Poland applies a particularly severe 12-point penalty, the Netherlands imposes a high fine, while an offence in Italy or some parts of France can also result in the temporary loss of the right to drive.
