In July, #Georgia passed the Hands-Free Law that put further restrictions on using your phone while driving. Prior to this law, it had been illegal to text and drive in Georgia for quite some time. The new Hands-Free Act made it illegal to hold your phone at all while driving, including while you are sitting at red lights or stop signs. Georgia's Hands Free Law also banned drivers from sending emails, watching or recording videos, and using social media. For more on what you can and cannot do with the new law, read here.
Since the law has been in effect for over six months, we wanted to know how it is affecting drivers and if it is actually helping decrease the amount of accidents caused by cell phone use.
After researching, we found that over 900 Georgia drivers were cited within the first month of the new law. 60% of those citations went to drivers accused of illegally holding their cell phones. The Georgia Department of Public Safety said that another 244 drivers received citations for failing to exercise due care, while 65 citations were written for texting while driving.
Since the law went into act on July 1, 2018, there have been almost 8,500 general roadway citations statewide. Spokespersons from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety believe that the law has helped lessen the amount of citations that drivers receive in Georgia. Additionally, it is believed that the law has helped reduce the amount of crashes on our roadways. It will take many years of accumulated data to really understand how effective the Hands-Free Law is, however.
Overall, it seems that the Hands-Free Law has increased driver attentiveness and that drivers are more aware of the risks of distracted driving. For the most part, it seems as if people are taking the law serious and are doing their part in abiding by it. For our top picks on inexpensive, hands-free devices, read here.
Remember, Kaufman Law represents individuals that have been injured in car accidents. If you've been involved in an accident, it is wise to contact an experienced Atlanta attorney to discuss your potential case.