20 Things You Need to Know Before the Hands-Free While Driving Law Goes into Effect

We are 20 days away from the new hands-free law in Massachusetts, in which operators of a motor vehicle will not be able to hold a mobile electronic device. Here are 20 things you need to know before the law goes into effect:

1)    Effective February 23, 2020, operators must use a cell phone/mobile electronic device only in hands-free mode

2)    No operator shall read or view text, images or video displayed on a device

3)    Text messages may be directed to recipients and composed by voice-only

4)    An operator may listen to audio responses from their device

5)    An operator may touch their phone once in order to put it in hands-free mode

6)    A vehicle operator may view a map generated by a navigation system or an application on a device, but the device must be mounted on or affixed to a vehicle’s windshield, dashboard or center console in a manner that does not impede the operation of the vehicle.

7)    An operator may hold or view a device if the vehicle is stationary and not located in a part of the public way intended for travel by a motor vehicle or bicycle. This does not permit using a device while the vehicle is stationary in a travel lane (e.g. stopped at a red light, bicycle lane, waiting in traffic, double-parked in the road)

8)    There are no changes for operators under 18; junior operators were already prohibited from using devices except in emergencies

9)    Calling EMS, police, fire, or other emergency services or reporting a crash or disabled vehicle may be done with a device

10)  Police will only issue warnings for hands free violations between February 23^rd-March 31^st

11)  Before March 31^st, Officers may continue to issue fines for reading electronic messages or texting (i.e. prior distracted driving ban)

12)  The penalty for the 1^st offense is $105

13)  The penalty for the 2^nd offense is $255

14)  The penalty for the 3^rd offense is $505

15)  Operators with 2^nd and subsequent offenses will also be required to attend a Registry of Motor Vehicles distracted driving program

16)  3^rd and subsequent offenses will trigger insurance surcharges

17)  Most modern smart phones have voice-to-dial capability. Use this when driving so that you won’t need to look at or touch your phone to make a call

18)  If your car has bluetooth, take the time to set it up with your vehicle

19)  14% of all deadly crashes in the United States involved the use of a cell phone

20)  Passengers are not impacted by the new hands-free law