Hands-Free Law now in effect
The new Hands-Free Law is now being enforced across the state of Georgia.
In accordance with House Bill 673, the only time drivers are able to touch their phones while behind the wheel is to answer or hang up a call.
Hands-free means it cannot be in your hand while you are driving.
The switch to hands-free comes during one of the busiest travel periods of the year and at a time when the Georgia State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies will be on the road as they have in years past during the July 4th holiday period.
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.”
Georgia’s Hands-Free Law will only allow drivers to talk on their phones without having it in their hands or supported by their body.
Harris Blackwood, Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety says now is the time to buy a hands-free device for your car if it does not come equipped with one.
“We want to make sure people understand that there are devices that people can buy for as little as 5 or 6 dollars that will support it,” Blackwood said. “Clip it to your air conditioning vent. You can stick it to your window. You can mount it to your center console. It is not expensive and it is something that can save your life,” he said.
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.