If You Jam Phone Signals Near Your Car, You're Gonna Have To Pay A Big Fine

A man in Florida fitted a mobile phone signal jammer in his Toyota Highlander, to stop fellow commuters from using their phones while driving near him. Authorities have taken a dim view of his attempts to create a phone-free bubble in his vicinity, fining him $48,000 (£28,400).

Jason Humphreys was caught after the regional mobile operator noticed its towers along Interstate 4 were suffering interference between the morning and evening rush hours. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission used direction-finding techniques to pinpoint the disruptions, eventually finding the Highlander to be the source of the issue.

Although it may seem relatively harmless, Humphreys' jammer not only stopped people nearby making emergency calls, it also blocked emergency services' radios from connecting with dispatchers. The police who pulled Humphreys over were unable to communicate with HQ.

Humphreys is charged with unauthorised operation of a jammer, use of an illegal device and causing intentional interference. The FCC believe he could have had the device operational for as long as two years.