No Automatic Warning For Violating Hands Free Law: Police

DOUGLASVILLE, GA – House Bill 673 also known as the “Hands Free Law” was passed by the Georgia General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal. In a Facebook post, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office reminded the public that there is "no automatic 90-day grace period."

"We want to clarify enforcement on the Hands Free Law when it takes effect on July 1, 2018," reads the post. "The law does not state that there will be a 90-day grace period and it is not automatic that only a warning will be issued in the first 90 days. State and local law enforcement officers will, as they have done in the past, issue warnings to most violators in the first few months as part of the effort to educate everyone on the new law. However, officers can and will issue citations after July 1 for some Hands Free law violations, especially those that cause a traffic crash.

"We recommend all drivers start obeying the law before it goes into effect, and take whatever steps necessary to be able to make and receive phone calls without having a phone in their hand or supported by their body," the post reads.

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Now's the time to go hands-free behind the wheel, recommends the Sheriff's Office. If your vehicle does not have built-in Bluetooth capabilities, there are after-market options that can be installed. Bluetooth headsets are also allowed.

The Hands Free Law will take effect on July 1, 2018. The following is a brief description what the law states and some frequently asked questions. A link to the complete law can be found at www.gahighwaysafety.org.

• A driver cannot have a phone in their hand or use any part of their body to support their phone. Drivers can only use their phones to make or receive phone calls by using earpieces, wireless headphones or a smartwatch. GPS navigation devices are allowed.
• Headsets and earpieces can only be worn for communication purposes and not for listening to music or other entertainment.
• A driver may not send or read any text-based communication unless using voice-based communication that automatically converts message to a written text or is being used for navigation or GPS
• A driver may not send or read any e-mails, social media or other internet content
• A driver may not watch a video unless it is for navigation.
• A driver may not record a video (continuously running dash cams are exempt)

More information on the Hands Free law can be found at: http://www.headsupgeorgia.com/handsfree-law/

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