A new law in Germany has forbidden motorists from holding a mobile phone to their ear while driving, and forced fleets to fit hands-free phone kits to their vehicles. The law, which came into force on Feb. 1, 2001, means drivers have to keep both hands on the steering wheel. Drivers caught talking on a hand-held mobile phone will face fines, while insurance companies will no longer pay for accidents where they can prove that the colli-sion was caused by the driver using a telephone while driving. A study five years ago by the German Ministry of Transport found that telephoning without a hands-free speaking device had been responsi-ble for 20 accidental deaths and 100 critical and 450 light casualties. There are now approximately 30 million mobile phones in Germany. Drivers are now only allowed to use a mobile phone when a car is parked and the engine is turned off. If the vehicle is moving or the engine is on, the driver may neither pick up a mobile phone nor hold it in his hand. From April 1, after a two-month grace period, drivers found guilty of using a phone while on the road face a fine.