EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GA HANDS-FREE LAW
Keep one major thing in mind: There is no 90-day grace period provision in the new Hands-Free law.
Georgia’s hands-free law takes effect on Sunday, July 1, 2018. It is a sweeping, landmark measure that has been under consideration for several years and will affect all of us as Georgians in one way or another.
With the flurry of information that has passed back and forth across the state in recent weeks, many people have been left confused by some portions of the new law and its provisions.
We have put together a resource that will answer your questions and make sure that you have what you need so that, when the law takes effect this weekend, you are ready.
Under the new hands-free law:
- A driver is prohibited from having a phone in his or her hand or using any other part of their body to support a phone.
- Drivers may only use their phones to make or receive phone calls via speakerphone, earpiece, wireless headphone or if the phone is connected to the vehicle itself or an electronic watch.
- Headsets and earpieces may only be worn for communication purposes and may not be used for listening to music or other entertainment purposes.
- A driver may not send or read any text-based communication unless using voice-based services like Siri or Alexa that automatically convert their message to written text.
- A driver may not write, send or read any text messages, emails, social media or internet data content.
- A driver may not watch a video unless it is for navigation.
- A driver may not record a video — continuously running dashcams are exempt from this rule.
Music streaming apps may be used, provided the driver activates and programs them when they are parked. They may also be activated and programmed via voice command. Drivers cannot touch their phones to do anything to their music apps when they are on the road.
Music streaming apps that include video are not allowed since drivers are not permitted to watch videos while on the road. Drivers can listen to and program music streaming apps that are connected to and controlled through their vehicle’s radio.
GPS apps like Waze or Google Maps may also be used — provided the address or other navigational data is punched in before a motorist begins driving or the navigational data is provided via voice-based input.
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