Georgia made some strides against distracted driving by passing into law last year the Hands-Free Law. This new law restricts drivers from using their phone in their automobile, including holding the phone to your ear to carry on a conversation. In fact, a person cannot pick up a handheld mobile phone at all while driving. Do these restrictions extend to listening to music while driving? It depends on how the music is relayed into the vehicle.
According to the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, drivers still enjoy the privileges of listening to music in their vehicles while driving. You can still listen to music on the radio or even music that is streamed through an electronic device. However, drivers are forbidden from watching videos. It is fine to listen to music through an audio stream, but watching a music video or any video at all runs afoul of the Hands-Free Law.
Drivers may run into problems if they want to manipulate an electronic device to change an audio streaming app. If you want to program your phone to play the songs you want, legally, you must do so before driving onto the road. Diverting your attention from the road to change a music selection on your phone is not allowed and can result in the police citing you for a violation of the law.
While many drivers in the Peach State enjoy their music while driving, safety while behind the wheel is paramount so that you or other parties do not suffer serious injuries on the road. Safe driving also helps avoid legal penalties, such as the fines and points against your license that can be incurred for violating the Hands-Free Law. Distracted driving happens for many reasons, so do not interpret this information as legal advice. It is only intended as general information.
