Missouri Hands-Free Law to be enforced starting Jan. 1

Dec. 31—Starting Wednesday, Missouri drivers can be ticketed for using their phones behind the wheel.

The Siddens Bening Hands-Free Law, prohibiting hand-held cell phone use while driving, actually went into effect in August 2023, but officers have given drivers a 16-month grace period to prepare. The grace period is now coming to an end and penalties will be given to those who fail to follow the law.

"The critical thing here is trying to keep everybody safe and make sure that we reduce distracted driving," said Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett. "It does allow for hands-free operation but nothing in the hand or manipulating the device while someone's operating a vehicle."

Drivers are allowed to use hands-free devices while operating a vehicle for tasks like navigating with GPS, talking on the phone and listening to music and podcasts.

Penalties depend on the severity of the infraction. According to officials, for a first conviction, the fine can be as much as $150. For a second conviction, the fine can go up to $250 and three or more convictions can result in a fine of up to $500.

In the case of a serious injury crash, drivers may receive up to a $1,000 fine and/or up to six months in jail. If the violation leads to a fatal crash, the driver risks up to seven years in prison.

According to data from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, troopers gave out more than 1,500 warnings to prepare drivers for the change.

Law enforcement officers across the state of Missouri, including in St. Joseph, will be enforcing and issuing summonses starting Jan. 1 in an effort to reduce tragedies on the roadways.

"Distracted driving has cost so many people loved ones," Puett said. "As we're spending time with loved ones during the holiday season, it especially serves as a reminder that we want to keep those people around. So, the only goal here is not to issue tickets but to make sure we have people getting home safe."

The hands-free law is a secondary violation, meaning authorities may not stop drivers expressly to enforce the law but can issue tickets if someone is pulled over for another offense and is observed to be breaking the hands-free law.

Jenna Wilson can be reached at [email protected].