CHARLOTTE, N.C. — You could soon get a ticket just for talking on your phone while driving in North Carolina.
On Thursday, lawmakers in the General Assembly introduced House Bill 144, known as the Hands Free NC Act, which would add even more regulations to how electronic devices are used while driving. Texting while driving is already illegal in the state, but the new bill wouldn't allow people to have their phone in their hand for any reason while driving. Georgia passed a similar law last July.
According to a study from AAA in November 2018, 49 percent of drivers said they recently talked on the phone while driving and nearly 35 percent of those polled said they have sent a text or email. Despite those numbers, more than half believe that talking on the phone while driving is a serious threat to their safety.
The proposed bill also outlined the penalties you would face if caught. The first offense would be a $100 fine, a second offense would result in a $150 fine and points against your license, and a third offense would be a $300 fine.
There are a couple of exceptions for the bill, including the ability to use a mounted device to start or end a phone call or to follow a GPS route.
More distracted driving stories |