First week of Hands-Free Driving ends with 974 offenders

Georgia drivers across the state have made it through the first week of the newly enforced Hands-Free Driving Law.

However, not all drivers have agreed to put down their phone while they drive.

According to the Georgia State Patrol, just seven days after the law went into effect on July 1, 179 tickets and 795 warnings have been issued to drivers across the state.

These numbers are up from the 34 tickets and 98 written warnings given on the very first day of the law.

The GSP is reminding drivers that if you are caught with your phone in hand, you will get pulled over.

The aim of the law is to stop drivers from texting or answering emails, even at a red light.

Colonel Mark W. McDonough is the Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

McDonough says there is no 90-day grace period in the law, which means drivers who are caught with a phone in their hand or any part of their body run the risk of getting a citation.

“We want folks to be safe on the roadway,” McDonough said. “You can expect us to very compassionately to start enforcing the law,” McDonough said. “We want to change behavior and we will do that over the next 90 days. That won’t mean our folks may not write a citation because if you obviously don’t get it or you obviously don’t want to get it or you have caused an accident you can expect an enforcement action because that is next level to change your behavior.”

The only exceptions to the law are if you have an emergency, like medical calls, fire, criminal activity or bad road conditions.

Even with a hands-free device for their phones, drivers cannot write, read or send text messages, e-mails, social media or any other material on the internet, however, voice-to-text communication is legal.

The law also prohibits drivers from watching and recording video, but they can watch GPS/navigational videos and continuous running dash cams are permitted.

Drivers will still be able to listen to streaming music through their phones, but cannot touch their phone to program them when they are on the road.

Violating the Hands-Free Law, the first time will warrant a $50 fine and one point off a license; a second offense carries a $100 fine and two points off a license; and a third offense carries a $150 fine and three points off a license.