Understanding Missouri’s Hands-Free Law
In an effort to reduce the number of car accidents caused by distracted driving, the Missouri General Assembly passed new laws that make the use of mobile electronic devices illegal. The law went into effect on August 28, 2023. However, a transition period is being used so that offenders will receive warnings in 2024 and fines will not be issued until 2025. Below is information from Patterson Legal Group’s Missouri injury lawyers to help you understand the new Missouri hands-free law.
What the New Missouri Hands-Free Laws Mean For You
The new hands-free laws are defined in Missouri Statute 304.822. The law states that:
Drivers are prohibited from physically holding or supporting a cell phone with any part of their body; manually typing, writing, sending, or reading text-based messages; recording, posting, sending or broadcasting video, including video calls and social media posts; and watching a video or movie.
According to the Missouri Coalition for Road Safety (MCRS), 380 people died in distracted driving car accidents between 2017 and 2021, with the use of electronic devices–particularly mobile phones–being the leading cause. The Missouri hands-free law should lower the number of deaths and injuries caused by mobile phone use.
Breaking Missouri Hands-Free Law Is Not a Primary Offense
One thing to keep in mind is that violating the new law is a secondary offense. This means that law enforcement cannot pull you over and fine you only for using an electronic device while driving. However, if you are caught violating other traffic laws (speeding, ignoring traffic signs, etc.) then you may be issued an additional citation or fine.
As mentioned above, warnings will be issued for violating the new law in 2024. Starting in 2025, you may be fined up to $150 for the first offense, $250 for a second violation within 24 months, and $500 for a third offense within 24 months. First offenses can be as high as $500 if you are caught using an electronic communication device while driving in a construction zone or school zone.
Are Hands-Free Laws Effective?
While some people are skeptical about the efficacy of hands-free laws, data shows that they can be highly effective. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), studies show that cell phone laws reduce handheld phone use by about 50% shortly after the laws take effect.
Naturally, there are many other factors that contribute to car crash deaths and injuries. So while the number of distracted driving car wrecks are likely to go down, there may not be a 1:1 correlation in the number of deaths and injuries.
Injured by a Distracted Driver? Call Patterson Legal Group.
Patterson Legal Group applauds the Missouri General Assembly’s efforts to reduce the number of distracted driving car wrecks. Hopefully the Missouri hands-free law leads to a sharp decrease in the number of car crashes in our state. Should you suffer an injury caused by a distracted driver then contact us for immediate assistance.
You can reach Patterson Legal Group by phone at (816) 920-0000 and online through our secure contact form or connecting with our LiveChat agents. For more than 25 years, Patterson Legal Group has helped injury victims throughout Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma receive the highest settlement allowable by law. Our knowledgeable trial lawyers have recovered more than $250-million in settlements for thousands of clients. While legally we can’t say we are the “best personal injury lawyers in Wichita” or the “best car wreck lawyers in St. Joseph” our results and testimonials speak for themselves.
