There are real people on real Mobile streets who have been stopped and fined for holding a phone while driving. Why? It is against the law.

  The state-wide ban began in 2023, but it was not until this year that police and state troopers began the search for lawbreakers. Though the penalties are modest, the safety benefits are immense.

  Holding a phone is part of the problem of distracted driving, and I cannot count the number of clients I have had who were hit by drivers who were not paying attention. Some people were actually watching TV shows and movies while going down I-10!

  Here is the law: No handheld devices while driving. You can use Bluetooth to place and answer calls. You cannot text.

  There is some debate about whether you can use a handheld phone in a parked car or if you pull off the road. The Mobile police I talked with said they would not issue a ticket for that. I suggest you not take the chance.

  Now, the use of handheld devices is sometimes allowed. In an emergency, you can use them, especially to notify emergency personnel.

  Here are the modest penalties I mentioned. The 1st offense is $50 and a point on your driving record. The 2nd offense is $100 and 2 points. The 3rd is $150 and 3 points.

  Alabama is not unique. Roughly 30 states, including our neighboring state of Georgia, have banned driving and holding a cell phone.

  Distracted driving is becoming an increasing problem here along the Gulf Coast. It is hard to imagine, but it is true that people are causing accidents because they are watching Matlock on their phones.

  Do that, and you will learn a lot about real-life legal drama.

  If you are injured in a personal injury accident , you can talk to us at the law firm of Steele Ritchie for free. We genuinely want to help. We are local attorneys with decades of experience helping people, especially in the southwest Mobile area.

  Give us a call at (251) 666-1212. We are proud to be called the “personal injury lawyers near me” by many people here in Mobile and Baldwin Counties.

Allen Ritchie

Alabama Personal Injury Lawyer

The post Mobile Police Looking for Drivers Who Hold Their Phone first appeared on Steele Ritchie.