Don't Text and Drive - The “hands-free” law is effective as of February 23, 2020. Massachusetts law prohibits operators of motor vehicles from using any electronic device, including mobile telephones, unless the device is used in hands-free mode. For more information please visit Mass.gov for more details.
Safety First: Don't Text & Drive
September 30, 2010 Massachusetts becomes the 30th state to ban texting while operating a motor vehicle. Massachusetts Texting and Hands-Free Law All drivers are prohibited from texting while driving. That means that drivers cannot use any mobile telephone or hand-held device capable of accessing the Internet to write, send, or read an electronic message including text messages, emails, and instant messages or to access the Internet while operating a vehicle. The law applies even if the vehicle is stopped in traffic.
An estimated 341,000* auto accidents in 2013 involved texting and driving. (National Safety Council)
3179 people were killed in distraction-related car crashes in 2014. (U.S. Department of Transportation/Distraction.gov)
Roughly 660,000 drivers are using an electronic device at any given time. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
Texting takes a driver's eyes off the road for an average of nearly five seconds - long enough to drive a football field's length (a football field is a whopping 360 feet long - over half the length of an average city block). (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
Some Startling Facts: 80% of crashes, and 65% of near crashes, involved some form of driver inattention within 3 seconds of the incident. 57% of American drivers admit to texting behind the wheel. (I'm guessing more actually, but some probably didn't want to admit to texting n driving.) Study: 74% of Americans admit to distracted driving, 19% using web 89% of Americans adults think sending text messages or e-mails while driving is distracting, dangerous and should be outlawed.