Penalties for drivers caught using mobile phones at the wheel will be toughened with steeper fines and possible prison terms, according to a draft bill released Thursday that is aimed at curbing the practice that has led to a surge in the number of crashes.
Those caught driving while on their phones are subject to fines under the current law, but calls for tougher penalties have been growing, particularly after a collision led to the death of a 9-year-old boy in 2016 after he was struck by a truck whose driver was playing the popular smartphone game "Pokemon Go."
The National Police Agency will solicit public comments on the bill to revise the nation's road traffic law for about a month from Tuesday before finalizing it.