The new State of Minnesota Hands-Free Cell Phone Law takes effect August 1. Drivers are still allowed to use their phones in specific capacities provided they do so hands-free or with one touch activation.
Polk County Sheriff Jim Tadman explains how a driver can use their cell phone. “The new law allows a driver to use their cell phone to make calls, listen to music, text or get direction, but only by voice command or single touch activation without holding the phone,” said Tadman. “Remember, hands-free is not necessarily distraction free. Anything anybody else does in the vehicle can also be a distraction, but this is just consistent with the phones and the use of them.”
Tadman on a cellphone can’t be used to do. “You may not hold your phone in your hand,” said Tadman. “A driver may not use their phone at any time for video calling, video live streaming, Snapchat, gaming, looking at videos, photos, or using non-navigation apps. Reading texts is the same as video streaming or Snapchat, and you can’t scroll or type on the phone.”
Use of a handheld cell phone is allowed in emergencies, according to Tadman. “Handheld phone use is allowed to obtain emergency assistance if there is an immediate threat to life or safety or while performing official duties in an authorized emergency vehicle,” said Tadman. “If there is an accident out there and you’re pulling up you can use [the cellphone] if it’s in the case of an emergency.”
Drivers you don’t follow the new law are subject to fines that can exceed $300 for the second offense and beyond. “The first penalty is designated at $50, plus court fees which vary in any county,” said Tadman. “And the second or later tickets can go as high as $275 plus court fees. The first one probably isn’t that expensive but the second one is going to bite if you get stopped for the same thing. Hopefully, this will get people to be more aware of trying not to be so distracted. I think we’ve gotten to the time with technology where people are trying to get more things done and on the road they are looking at meetings, looking at information vs. doing that prior. It can be very serious. We’ve had accidents in Polk County that we’ve found out involved the use of phones. Trying to limit this I think is a plus and hopefully down the road will save some more lives.”
Christian Brothers Ford’s Tom Helgeson says there are aftermarket Bluetooth stereo options available for drivers with older cars who want to upgrade. “We’ve all been told you’re not coming up August 1 you’re no longer going to be able to have your phone up to your ear,” said Tom Helgeson. “You’re going to have to have a Bluetooth device of some kind and not all vehicles have that capability. But there are options out there for people who have the older vehicles that don’t have the phone pairing capabilities. There are aftermarket stereos for your car that you can purchase that have that feature in them. You can purchase that, and in most cases, we can install that for you, but we suggest the customer pick out his stereo first. Then make an appointment and make sure we can put it in. The other option would be to get a mount for your dashboard and if you have a Siri button or Alexa feature and say – dial – and you don’t have to touch your phone.”
All new Ford vehicles also come with a Bluetooth stereo for easy pairing with Bluetooth enabled phones. “In Ford, we have SYNC, with the My Ford touchscreen,” said Helgeson. “It’s kind of funny because we had customers who said they’d never use that, but they are calling or stopping out not now to use it. We can pair any phone with Bluetooth, even a flip phone. It’s a very nice feature to have, the hands-free calling in your automobile. So, if you’re not ready for a new Bluetooth stereo in your car, you always have that option to upgrade your vehicle.”
More information on the new Hands-Free Law can be found at handsfreemn.org.
