The UK's Crown Prosecution Service today announced a new set of guidelines stating that anyone caught driving while using a mobile phone, GPS device or MP3 player could face two years in jail.

"Existing guidelines restricted prosecutors to pursuing only a charge of careless driving, for which the maximum fine is £5,000 along with up to nine points on a motorist's licence," according to the Daily Telegraph's David Millward. "But under the new rules, drivers could be charged with dangerous driving, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail."

"Two years in jail for talking on your phone and driving? That had better be one important phone call," notes InformationWeek's Eric Zeman.

More here from the AFP ... more here from VNUnet ... more here from Reuters ... more here from the Guardian ... more here from the Times ... and the press release is here.