SAUGUS, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Massachusetts' "hands-free" law made it illegal to use an electronic device while driving a car on Feb. 23, 2020.
By June 16, 2021, the Registry of Motor Vehicles had recorded 40,181 motor vehicle warnings for distracted driving.
Locals told WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas the numbers do not lie.
"I've seen people do some crazy things like reading the newspaper," one motorist said. "I wouldn't put it past anybody to eat cereal, put their makeup on, read the newspaper, read their phone [or] take a call that they shouldn't be taking."
Under the "hands-free" law, drivers can only use electronic devices in hands-free mode. Devices must be mounted "in an appropriate location" and drivers may only look at them for help navigating.
Fines range from $100 for a first offense to $500 for a third or subsequent offense.
Massachusetts recorded 204 fatal crashes involving a distracted driver between 2015 and 2019.
WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.
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