Georgia distracted driving bill: What’s legal and what’s not?

After several public hearings and a lot of tweaks, legislation to crack down on distracted driving cleared a state House of Representatives committee on Wednesday.

House Bill 673 would require drivers to use hands-free technology when using cell phones and other electronic devices while driving. The goal is to pry our eyes away from cell phones while we're behind the wheel – behavior experts say has led to a spike in fatalities on Georgia highways and rising insurance premiums to boot.

But “hands free” isn’t as clear cut as it sounds. And some behaviors are allowed under the bill, while others aren’t. Hint: GPS apps are okay, watching a movie is not.

For a full look at what the bill would and wouldn't allow, visit the Spinning Our Wheels blog at myajc.com.

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The AJC's David Wickert keeps you updated on the latest in what's happening with transportation in metro Atlanta and Georgia. You'll find more on myAJC.com, including these stories:

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