Talking, texting, or otherwise using a mobile device while driving is becoming illegal in more and more states here in the United States. None of the penalties here are as severe as those about to go into effect over in the United Kingdom, though. Break the no-texting-and-driving law in England and you'll be sent up to the Big House.

The authorities in the U.K. are taking the matter of using mobile devices while operating motor vehicles very seriously. Does talking and/or texting while driving represent a risk to you and other motorists? I think that point is pretty well agreed upon now, with some research likening the impairment to that of driving while drunk. The U.K. Department for Transport notes that "drivers are four times more likely to crash if they are holding a mobile or sending a text while at the wheel."

The use of mobile phones by drivers was banned completely in 2003. As the law stands, drivers are fined automatically if caught talking while driving. Well, new penalties are being applied to the laws governing talking and driving in England, and they are pretty steep. Now, if motorists are charged with reckless driving due to the use of their mobile phones, they can be jailed for up to two years and face unlimited fines.

Two years in jail for talking on your phone and driving? That had better be one important phone call.