Because of the dangers posed by distracted driving, Minnesota joined 17 other states, plus Washington, D.C., in passing a hands-free law that went into effect Aug. 1. But what exactly does “hands-free” mean?
“To break it down in the simplest terms, you cannot have a phone in your hand at all while driving,” said Fillmore County Sherriff John DeGeorge. “As of Aug. 1, you can’t even have a cell phone in your hand and hold it up to your ear to make a phone call. Of course, text messages aren’t going to be legal as well.”
DeGeorge stressed that it won’t be legal to pull out a cell phone even if drivers are stopped at a stoplight or sign.
“Technically, you’re still driving,” DeGeorge said.
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