Phone use on bicycle is not prohibited

Calling and sending text messages on the bike is not prohibited. Minister Schultz van Haegen informed the House of Representatives about this. In her opinion, campaigns to combat telephone use on bicycles are more useful than an unenforceable ban.

Last year, Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen of Infrastructure and the Environment promised to investigate whether a ban on smartphone use on bicycles makes sense. That is not the case, she writes to the House. According to Schultz, a ban is “not, or very difficult” to enforce, and therefore she is not in favor of it. Some European countries do prohibit the use of telephones while cycling, but in practice they hardly seem to enforce the ban.

The minister says he sees more in initiatives such as an app to prevent smartphone use while cycling. Launched in October, the app offers users a chance to win small prizes if they don’t use their phone while cycling. According to Minister Schultz, 700,000 kilometers were already cycled at the end of last year with the so-called ‘Bicycle mode’ on.

Schultz does point out that using the phone while cycling can cause insurance problems. Insurers look at ‘per accident which behavior contributed to the occurrence of the accident’, according to Schultz. “Smartphone use is also included in these considerations.” Anyone who uses their phone on a bicycle and causes an accident can therefore be held liable for the damage.