KNOW THE LAW: Georgia’s New Distracted Driving Law

On May 2, 2018, Governor Nathan Deal signed into law HB 673 which will go into effect on July 1, 2018. The legislation was in response to a significant increase in traffic fatalities on Georgia roads and highways. In the last week, we have heard about several traffic fatalities on Georgia roadways. Just this morning, the morning news reported the death of a 2 year old and severe injuries to a 5-month old, when their parents SUV was struck in Clayton County, Georgia. Sometimes, we learn that the drivers causing these incidents were handling their phone in the seconds leading up to the wreck.

The new law prohibits the following while operating a motor vehicle (1) holding or supporting, with any part of your body, a wireless telecommunications device; (2) writing, sending or reading any text messages, instant messages, emails or internet viewing while holding the device; and (3) recording a video with your device.

We at Warshauer Woodward Atkins support this law. While it may seem like an inconvenience to some, it only takes one second of distracted driving to forever change lives. Whatever is on our phones can surely wait until we are at our next stop.