Senate rejects bill loosening Georgia's hands-free cell law

Georgia state senators are rejecting a plan that would let drivers use cellphones mounted to their windshield or dashboard while at traffic lights and stop signs, voting 35-14 against the proposal on Wednesday.

Sen. Frank Ginn, a Danielsville Republican, pushed Senate Bill 203, saying that it’s time to recognize that the state’s current hands-free law has “made criminals out of our folks.” He said that people looking at phones while at a “full and complete stop” or pulled over on the side of the road should be a low priority for police.

“We don’t want those people out there driving and being distracted,” Ginn told senators. “But if you’re in a complete and full stop, your car is not endangering anybody.”

State law already allows windshield-mounted phones.

But opponents said the bill would falsely lead drivers to believe that looking at their cell phone isn’t dangerous.

“This is terrible legislation; this is unnecessary legislation; this is dangerous legislation,” said Sen. Randy Robertson, a Cataula Republican.

He said it could be particularly dangerous for young drivers.

“Multi-tasking is a myth,” Roberston said. “We stop one thing to do something else. It may be a fraction of a second, but we cannot simultaneously do two things. When someone is messing with their phones at a traffic device, they are not paying attention to the danger that is around them.”