The fine is highest in the Netherlands, where you have to shell out 136 euros. In Greece and Hungary, as well, the hefty three-digit sum you'll pay for cell phone abuse leaves you with less money for vacation fun. Even in countries - Sweden, for example - where using a cell phone while driving is not yet explicitly outlawed, you can still end up faced with stiff charges. This can happen if you, the driver, are involved in an accident or are pulled over by the police for behaving erratically in traffic or otherwise posing a traffic hazard while phoning.

In Germany drivers have to cough up 40 euros if caught with a cell phone in hand, as well as being assessed a demerit point in motor vehicle department records. In Turkey as well, using a cell phone while driving is against the law, although the exact fines levied for doing so have not been published.

Actually, very few countries have compiled as detailed a catalog of fines and penalties as in Germany or Denmark. The amounts cited in the ADAC overview are thus merely reference values. Because of the plethora of national regulations, anyone planning a trip abroad is best advised to get in touch with the ADAC for information on the rules in force before starting off.