Motorists in England and Wales caught using a hand-held mobile device while driving could face up to two years in prison under new guidelines published Thursday.

Under the new measures, published by the Crown Prosecution Service, drivers who use hand-held electronic equipment could be prosecuted under "dangerous driving" remedies instead of those governing "careless driving."

Dangerous driving offences, which also include aggressive driving and driving while reading a newspaper or map, carry a maximum offence of two years in prison.

"The responses to our 2007 public consultation have shown how seriously society views the potential dangers of the use of mobile phones and other hand-held devices, while driving," the guidelines state. "In cases where the driver was avoidably and dangerously distracted by that use, a charge of dangerous driving will be the starting point for our charging decisions."

The measure does not govern the use of hands-free mobile devices.

The U.K. actually banned driving while using hand-held devices in 2003, but faced criticism over a lack of enforcement of the law.

Newfoundland and Labrador is currently the only Canadian province to have banned the use of cellphones while driving, passing legislation in 2003.

Nova Scotia and Quebec introduced similar legislation this fall, with Quebec's laws hand-held cellphone to begin on Jan. 1 should its bill pass as expected.

Under Newfoundland laws, a driver who causes a collision by using a cellphone or who is observed driving unsafely while using the device could be charged under a number of laws, including those related to dangerous driving, careless driving and criminal negligence causing death or injury.

A number of provincial public safety reports across Canada have recommended banning the use of hand-held mobile devices while driving.

The Canadian Automobile Association has argued that 80 per cent of traffic accidents are caused by distracted drivers, and says drivers are distracted by everything from billboards and cellphone conversations to the coffee they're drinking.