Whether you’re driving to or from work or cross-country in your moving truck, it’s important to understand distracted driving laws in your city! Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration reminds us that we should stay constantly aware of the road and other driver’s around us when driving. Always remember that concentration is crucial, not only for the safety of the driver and passengers but also for others around us. When it comes to staying safe on the road in the Old Line State, keep the following distracted driving laws in mind:
Driving Distracted
Distracted driving is one of the most common factor’s in police reported crashes, according to Maryland’s MVA. Distracted driving can be anything that causes the driver to take there eye’s or ears off of the road and any sounds that would avoid a crash. Some examples can be:
- Eating
- Primping – applying makeup, styling hair, shaving, etc.
- Reading
- Writing
- Taking picture
Phone Calls While Driving
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute says that “activities performed when completing a phone call (reaching for the phone, looking up a contact and dialing the number) increased crash risks by three times.” Maryland state law prohibits the use of hand-held devices. If this is secondary law is broken in the 1st offense, the driver is given a $40 fine and subsequent offenses are $100. However, This is not to say that handheld or Bluetooth devices are substantially safer. Maryland Vehicle Law recommends limiting even hands-free cell phone use to emergencies.
A note to novice drivers: all cell phone use is banned, even hands-free.
Texting While Driving
Texting or more specifically, writing, reading, or sending an electronic message while driving is banned for all drivers in the State of Maryland. Drivers take note that texting while driving is banned when the vehicle is in 
motion and even in any driving lane of the road. Breaking this law is a misdemeanor crime and a fine of $500 is enforced, if convicted.
Resources
It’s crucial to do your part to abide by distracted driving laws and increase driving safety. Here are some resources that can help increase your distracted driving awareness:
Do you have any distracted driving tips or resources to add? Leave them in the comment section below!
