Let's examine how many hands-free driving tickets have been issued in Tennessee
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Question: How many hands-free driving citations have been issued in Tennessee since it became against the law?
Answer: "The light’s not getting any greener!"
We’ve all thought this (or maybe yelled it) while sitting at a traffic signal behind someone with their head down, looking at a phone in their hand.
Or worse, you’re behind or beside a driver with a phone in hand — texting, watching video, tweeting, talking.
“Divided attention while behind the wheel on any level, really, is an opponent to safety,” Franklin police Lt. Charles Warner said. “It’s shocking to see people scrolling social media or texting while sharing busy roadways — especially at interstate speeds. And we’ve all seen it.”
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No wonder state leaders decided to do something about it. Tennessee's hands-free driving law went into effect on July 1, 2019.
Its impact?
Through May 24, more than 61,000 citations have been issued by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Closer to home, Metro Nashville police issued 6,315 hands-free driving violations through May 17. Other city and county departments in the state have tallied thousands of citations.
“The newer law removes a lot of the subjective point of view related to the texting while driving law,” Mt. Juliet police Capt. Tyler Chandler said. “Hands-free removes the articulation and is a clear violation when a device is in-hand of an individual.”
Would you be surprised if we told you during the first three full years the law was in existence (2020-22), the number of citations tallied by the Tennessee Highway Patrol increased annually by at least 3,600?
Tennessee Highway Patrol citations by year are:
2019 (starting July 1 when law went into effect): 7,596 citations.
2020: 10,331.
2021: 16,448.
2022: 20,078.
2023: 6,766 (as of May 24).
Nashville police by year
2019: 636.
2020: 1,003.
2021: 1,999.
2022: 1,934.
2023: 743 (as of May 17).
Other police agency hands-free driving citation totals since the law went into effect through latest reporting dates in May.
Mt. Juliet: 2,483 citations. Citations in the city jumped from 331 in 2021 to 1,354 in 2022.
Lebanon: 1,279.
La Vergne: 137.
Portland: 82.
Brentwood: 627.
Franklin: 582.
Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office: 161..
About the law
The new law prohibits motorists from:
Holding a cellphone or mobile device with any part of their body.
Writing, sending or reading any text-based communication.
Reaching for a cellphone or mobile device in a manner that requires the driver to no longer be in a seated driving position or properly restrained by a seat belt.
Watching a video or movie on a cellphone or mobile device.
Recording or broadcasting video on a cellphone or mobile device.
There are hands-free devices and technology that can allow drivers to use their phone for functions like voice conversations and voice texting while remaining hands-free.
Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How many hands-free driving tickets have been issued in Tennessee?
