For Drivers

The phone in the car

For most drivers the phone is the sat nav, the music and the hands-free phone all at once. It needs somewhere safe to sit where you can see the map at a glance, and it needs power on a long drive. This page gathers the shop's car phone holders and car chargers in one place.

What is on this page

• Vent clip holders that grip a slat of the air vent, some with a hook that locks behind it. See air vent car mounts.
• Suction holders for the dashboard or windscreen, with ball joints that turn the phone, gravity clamps that close as the phone drops in, and one with an extension arm. See dashboard car mounts and windscreen car mounts.
• A dashboard tablet holder for tablets and large or folding phones, for passengers as much as the driver.
• Car chargers for the car's 12V socket: two-port USB-C chargers with fast charging, and a two-port charger with a digital display.

The law, and where the holder goes

GOV.UK is clear: it is illegal to hold and use a phone while driving or riding a motorcycle, and that includes when you are stopped at lights or queuing in traffic. You may use a phone hands-free, as a sat nav or for calls, only if you never hold it, and a holder must not block your view of the road and traffic ahead. The Highway Code adds that hands-free use can still distract you, so set the route before you set off, and stop somewhere safe if you need to change it.

The windscreen must be kept free of anything that blocks your view, and an MOT tester treats anything that significantly blocks the driver's view through the area the wipers sweep as a major defect, so keep a windscreen holder low and to the side. RoSPA advises keeping a holder out of the way of the airbags. The guide to car phone holders and the law has the detail and the sources.

Questions people ask about phone accessories for drivers

Will a car charger fit my car?

The chargers here plug into the car's 12V socket, the round one that used to hold the cigarette lighter. Check the cable for your phone too: see charging cables.

Can a magnetic holder harm my phone's camera?

Apple warns that strong magnets near the rear camera, and it names magnetic car mounts, can affect the camera's stabilisation and focus. See magnetic car mounts.

Is it all right to leave my phone on the dashboard in summer?

Apple says a phone in a hot car or in direct sun can overheat, and it may then dim the screen and slow or stop charging. Shade it where you can.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives.

More to look at

• Car phone holders
• Car chargers
• Wireless charging car mounts
• Short cables
• For travellers
• Guide: Choosing a safe phone charger in the UK
• Guide: Car phone holders: vent, dashboard or windscreen, and the law