Sugar Land Police To Distribute Hands-Free Driving Devices At Smart Financial Center

SUGAR LAND, TX -- The Sugar Land Police Department will distribute free hands-free devices during an "Arrive Alive" event on May 6 to educate motorists about the City's new distracted driving law.

During the educational event at the Smart Financial Center at Sugar Land from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., visitors will have an opportunity to learn different ways to utilize their mobile devices in a hands-free mode while driving.

Representatives from area car dealerships will help participants pair their phones to their vehicles via Bluetooth. No Bluetooth? No problem.

This event will also help educate people without Bluetooth capability in their vehicles on other "hands-free" ways to use a mobile device while driving.

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The event will also showcase the newly opened plaza with fun attractions, food trucks and more. The "Arrive Alive" event is free to the public, with food and drink available for purchase.

Sugar Land's new distracted driving law was approved on Feb. 21, which prohibits the use of portable electronic devices while driving a vehicle in Sugar Land, unless the device is in hands-free mode or being used for an emergency.

Portable electronic devices include mobile phones, personal digital assistants, MP3s or other hand-held music players, electronic reading devices, laptop computers, pagers, electronic game devices and more. "Wireless Communication Devices" are defined in Texas Transportation Code section 545.425.

Warnings are being issued during a grace period that ends on June 20. Any person found guilty of violating the ordinance after the grace period will be fined up to $200 for each offense.

Image: City of Sugar Land

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