Drivers who grab their phone for a “quick check” while edging across a petrol station forecourt are being warned it could cost them £200 and six penalty points.

Many motorists believe that mobile phone rules do not apply on petrol station forecourts, or that creeping forward in a queue makes phone use acceptable, but that can be an expensive mistake.

Government guidance is clear that it is illegal to hold and use a mobile phone or any hand-held device capable of sending or receiving data while driving.

The standard punishment is six penalty points and a £200 fine, with drivers who passed their test in the last two years facing the risk of losing their licence altogether.

Police guidance also makes clear the ban applies on roads and public places, and officers can stop drivers they believe are distracted or not in proper control of their vehicle.

This is where petrol stations catch people out. While they are privately owned, forecourts are widely regarded in motoring law as public places because members of the public have access. 

As a result, a driver still in control of a moving vehicle can be treated in the same way as if they were on the open road.

The danger zone is not high-speed driving, but everyday moments – rolling away from the pump, creeping forward to free up space, or moving across the forecourt to park while glancing at a phone.

Government advice says a phone may only be used when a driver is safely parked, with the engine switched off, and in a safe place. It does not include stopping briefly in traffic or while waiting to move.

At petrol stations, experts say the safest approach is straightforward: stop fully, apply the handbrake, switch off the engine and only use a phone when the vehicle is not moving. 

Drivers should not pick the phone up again until they are parked in a bay or have left the site and stopped safely.

Oliver Weston, of Four Pillar SEO, said: “People often search things like ‘is it illegal to use my phone at a petrol station’ because they see payment apps and assume it is fine while they are still edging forward. 

“The key point is whether you are driving. If you are in control of the vehicle and moving, it can still land you in trouble.”

The penalty can have lasting consequences. Six points can push up insurance costs for years, while new drivers face particularly severe sanctions.

The warning comes as surveys continue to highlight how widespread illegal phone use remains. 

An IAM RoadSmart survey found 43% of drivers aged 17 to 24 admitted to illegally reading or writing a message while driving, while 34% said they had used a hand-held phone to record footage or take a photo at the wheel.

Motorists are reminded that enforcement is based on control of the vehicle, not speed. Whether moving at 5mph or 50mph, phone use while driving can result in a fixed penalty – and in more serious cases, a higher fine if the matter goes to court.