A new bill working its way through the Georgia state legislature would prohibit drivers under age 18 from using their phones while driving.
This is different from Georgia’s existing hands-free law in that under the hands-free driving law, drivers can use their phones in a hands-free mode, but they aren’t allowed to touch their phones while on the road. The new law would prevent teens from using their phones, even in a hands-free environment.
According to the text of House Bill 113, teens would only be allowed to use a cell phone to “report a traffic accident, medical emergency, fire, an actual or potential criminal or delinquent act, or road condition which causes an immediate and serious traffic or safety hazard.”
The bill was proposed by State Rep. John Carson, who represents the 46th district, which covers parts of Cobb and Cherokee counties.
Currently, the bill has been sent back to committee, but it has drawn the support of Georgia’s insurance commissioner Jim Beck.
“Young people learning to drive should not be on their cell phones while operating a vehicle. House Bill 113 will build on the progress that the Hands-Free Law has already made,” Beck said.
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