Drivers who get into accidents while holding their phones will face dauntingly steep financial costs as Dutch insurers change the rules to deny coverage for such accidents.
The new policy terms took effect December 1st. Under them, drivers deemed responsible for an accident due to phone use must pay damages out of pocket. According to insurance comparison site Independer, these costs could run into millions of euros, potentially leading to personal bankruptcy.
Using a phone while driving is already illegal under Dutch law, but recent data from the Dutch Institute for Road Safety Research says that 75 percent of drivers admit to using phones while driving, and 25 percent have taken photos behind the wheel. Younger and less experienced drivers are the most frequent offenders.
