AAA Urges Mississippi Lawmakers to Implement Hands-Free Driving Law

AAA is calling for a “Hands Free” law in Mississippi, where drivers averaged 31.3 phone interactions per 100 miles according to Cambridge Mobile Telematics. Data from Cambridge Mobile Telematics shows that drivers in the state averaged 31.3 phone interactions for every 100 miles traveled.

Push for Hands-Free Legislation

During a Senate Insurance Committee hearing this week, AAA spokesperson John Redman urged lawmakers to implement a “Hands Free” law. While texting while driving is currently illegal in Mississippi, Redman noted that the existing law fails to address other phone activities such as voice calls, online shopping, or watching videos.

Redman argued that a total ban on holding a phone would eliminate ambiguity for law enforcement and drive a change in driver behavior. He stated that such a law could reduce economic losses for the state and save lives, noting, “These are 100% avoidable crashes, and so we just say, ‘Hey, there’s no phone. You can’t hold your phone at all.’”

Impact of Distracted Driving

The Center for Mississippi Health Policy has found that 1 in 12 vehicle deaths in the state are linked to distracted driving. Researchers at Cambridge Mobile Telematics estimate that if Mississippi’s distracted driving rates dropped to the national average, the state would see 15 fewer fatalities and nearly 2,000 fewer injuries annually. Such a reduction would also prevent approximately 3,200 crashes each year.

Senator Michel Cites Distracted Driving as Growing Problem

Republican State Senator Walter Michel of Ridgeland indicated that a similar bill almost passed last year but was stalled during the final days of the legislative session. Michel described the issue as a growing problem, citing personal experiences of seeing vehicles weave into lanes on the interstate because the drivers were using FaceTime, watching videos, or reading text messages.

Regarding the necessity of the law, Michel said, “So that is an issue that we want to look at.”