Mercedes driver cops $387 fine as phone excuse falls flat

A driving fine is the last thing you want on a long weekend when double demerits are in play. One motorist pulled over on Sunday felt she had a legitimate reason for escaping an infringement, but her pleas fell on deaf ears when pulled over by highway patrol officers.

The driver of a silver Mercedes was travelling in Parramatta, in Sydney’s west, when she was spotted with something in her hand while behind the wheel. Officers stopped her and found she had been holding up her phone holder, with the phone inside, as she drove along the busy road.

She argued since she wasn’t touching the phone itself, she therefore wasn't breaking any driving rules.

“Yeah because the cradle is broken what can I do? I need GPS,” she told highway patrol officers.

Driver’s bold move as officers approach car

It is believed the motorist actually picked up her phone once she was stationary at the side of the road after being instructed to stop, with officers finding it in her hand when they approached her.

The driver was “frustrated” explaining she needing the navigation to return home, however she was issued a $387 fine and five demerit points – doubled to 10 for the Australia Day long weekend.

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In NSW drivers with a full licence can only use their phone via hands-free or when it is held by a phone holder fixed to the vehicle without obscuring the motorist's vision.

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