The new Georgia Hands Free Law will go into effect this Sunday, and if you are holding your cell phone while driving in the City of Carrollton on July 1, expect for the Carrollton Police Department to enforce the new law.
“We will begin stopping motorists that are operating a cell phone or handheld device that is being supported by your body. That could be by your hand or even just sitting on your lap.” said Traffic Sergeant with the Carrollton Police Department, Chris Wright.
Wright says that 2102 traffic accidents occurred in Carrollton in 2017 and nearly half the collisions were caused by following too closely, an action with strong correlations to distracted driving. Wright hopes the new law will break distracted driving habits:
“The reason that we will make traffic stops is to change a behavior. What is needed to change that behavior? Would it be an arrest, a ticket, or a warning? That will be left to the officer’s discretion.”
Wright recommended using hands free devices such as earpieces, Bluetooth devices or a smart watch. He also suggested to avoid temptation by keeping your cell phone out of reach.