Indiana drivers will be banned from using handheld cellphones on Indiana roads starting in July of this year, as the new hands-free law to combat distracted driving was recently signed into law by Governor Eric Holcomb. Governor Holcomb signed the law on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. It will prohibit drivers from holding or using a handheld mobile device while operating a moving vehicle. Anyone violating the law after it takes effect on July 1, 2020, can be fined up to $500. This law makes Indiana the 22nd state to have a hands-free law. Texting while driving is already banned in Indiana, but law enforcement agencies have found it difficult to enforce. The new law, when it takes effect, touching a phone to check the weather, or similar activities, while driving, will be banned. However, the new law specifies that it will be legal for drivers to use phones if they’re mounted on a vehicle’s dashboard or in hands-free mode, and drivers will be able to hold their phones when their vehicle is stopped. One of the provisions of this new law states that drivers that are ticked before July 1, 2021, for using a cellphone while driving will not receive points on their license that could lead to the suspension of the license.
Since the advent of cellphones and smartphones, texting while driving or using a phone (without hands-free features) while driving has led to collisions. States are having little choice but to pass laws similar to these to prevent further accidents on the road from occurring. If you or someone you know has been injured or killed by the negligence of another motorist, please contact the experienced legal team at Schiller Law Offices at 888-578-3100 or at IndyInjured.com to learn more about your potential right to compensation.
Source: