Hands Free Law

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Public Awareness

Woman Driving with cell phone The Hands-Free Law began on August 1, 2019. The new law, Chapter 11, expands on current state law (Minnesota Statutes §169.011, subdivision 94 and Minnesota Statutes §169.475) to ban using a wireless communication device to text, call, or access content while operating a motor vehicle on a street or highway. Drivers may use voice activation or hands-free model to call, text message, or access an application. The fine for the first violation of this law is $50 plus court fees; the fine for the second and subsequent violations is $275 plus court fees.

Distracted Driving — Disturbing Data

More than 60,000 crashes were distracted driving-related from 2014 - 2018 (preliminary), contributing to nearly one in five crashes in Minnesota.
Distracted driving contributes to an average of 45 deaths and 204 life-changing injuries a year (2014 - 2018 preliminary).
Texting citations climbed 30% from 2017 - 2018.
Numbers from Minnesota Courts show a disturbing trend in texting citations:

The information below is provided to prepare you for the law and keep our roads as safe as possible. You may also download a PDF document of FAQ's from the MN Department of Public Safety to share with friends, family and children.

Expand/Contract Questions and Answers

What is the Law?
- The new law allows a driver to use their cell phone to make calls, text, listen to music or podcasts and get directions, but only by voice commands or single touch activation without holding the phone. Remember, hands free is not necessarily distraction free.
- You may not hold your phone in your hand.
- A driver may not use their phone at any time for video calling, video live-streaming, SnapChat, gaming, looking at video or photos stored on the phone, using apps, reading texts and scrolling or typing on the phone.
- Hand-held phone use is allowed to obtain emergency assistance, if there is an immediate threat to life and safety, or when in an authorized emergency vehicle while performing official duties.
What Should Drivers Know?
- For any driver used to being on the phone, the time to start adapting is now, well before the aw takes effect.
- We want Minnesotans to stay safe, stay alive and stay out of trouble under the new law.
- There is no official grace period for drivers. Enforcement protocol is an individual law enforcement agency decision based on their department policy. Minnesotans need to know that the law is the law starting August 1, 2019 and drivers should not assume they'll get a free pass at any time.
- The first ticket is $50 plus court fees and the second and later tickets are $275 plus court fees.
Types of Distraction
- Visual - looking away from the road.
- Mechanical/Physical - taking hands off the wheel: manipulation of controls, such as dialing a cell phone, adjusting radio or music device.
- Cognitive - being "lost in thought," or focusing on a conversation, resulting in withdrawing from situational awareness.
- Combination of the above - reading a map or texting while driving.
It's a Myth that we can multi-task behind the wheel
- Using a cell phone while driving, whether hands-free or hand-held, delays a driver's reactions as much as having an alcohol-concentration level of .08 percent. (University of Utah)
- At 55 mph, texting and driving is like traveling the length of a football field blindfolded. (NHTSA)
- No one intends to seriously injure or kill someone by driving distracted. But good intentions don't prevent crashes - smart choices do.
- If you injure or kill someone because of texting and driving, you face a felony charge of criminal vehicular operation or homicide.
- Before heading out, do what you can do eliminate distractions - set your music, put your phone out of reach, figure out your directions, secure your drinks and avoid messy foods.
- Distracted driving crashes are likely under-reported due to law enforcement's challenge in determining distraction as a crash factor.
- Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. (NHTSA)
- Text messaging increased the risk of a crash or near-crash by two times. (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute)
- Millennials nationwide are the biggest offenders when it comes to texting and driving, with more 16- to 24-year-olds handling phones while driving than any other age group. (NHTSA)
- Nationwide, 9% of drivers 15 to 19-years-old who were involved in fatal crashes were reported as being distracted at the time of the crash in 2016. This age group has the largest percentage of drivers who were distracted at the time of a fatal crash. (NHTSA)
- Nationwide, handheld cellphone use while driving is highest among 15- to 29-year-old drivers, but female drivers are most at-risk for being involved in a fatal crash involving a distracted driver. (NHTSA)
- Nationwide, female drivers with a cell phone have been more likely to be involved in fatal distracted-driving crashes as compared to male drivers every year since 2012. (NHTSA)
Making the Right Choice
- Cell phones - Put the phone down, turn it off or place it out of reach.
- Music and other controls - Pre-program radio stations and arrange music in an easy-to-access spot. Adjust mirrors and ventilation before traveling.
- Navigation - Map out the destination and enter the GPS route in advance.
- Eating and drinking - Avoid messy foods and secure drinks.
- Children - Teach children the importance of good behavior in a vehicle and model proper driving behavior.
- Passengers - Speak up to stop drivers from distracted driving behavior and offer to help with anything that takes the driver's attention off the road.

Public Awareness

Distracted Driving — Disturbing Data

What is the Law?

What Should Drivers Know?

Types of Distraction

It's a Myth that we can multi-task behind the wheel

Making the Right Choice