Alabama is the latest on the list of states cracking down on distracted drivers. Even just touching your GPS there while driving could land you a $150 fine. But that is not the only offense labeled “distracted driving” in Alabama. Read on.
No grace, no mercy
Grab your cell phone while behind the wheel? Read a text— but not even putting in a text? Poke coordinates into the GPS for that campground? All these are part of Alabama’s distracted driving law. It’s not a new law—it went into effect in 2023. But the law had a one-year “grace period” to help drivers adjust their behavior.
But now, no grace, and no mercy. You can be fined $50 for the first violation—and get a point added to your driving record. Do it again, the fine doubles to $100, with two more points added. Really a scofflaw? Third-time offenders in two years are up for $150 fine, with three points tacked on their driver’s license
“Any time you’re using your phones, you’re distracted and not paying attention to the road,” said Public Information Officer Blake Brown in an interview with WALA-TV.
Touch your GPS and pay, if…
Law enforcers can’t pull you over if they only see you talking on the phone, but do something else to be pulled over for and they’ve got you. Swerve, speed, forget to use your turn signal, you can be pulled over. At that point, you can be cited if the distraction law has been broken.
Vu Quang, with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, told WBRC that drivers are susceptible to the law, “Even if you’re reading a text and you’re not texting, looking at something on the internet, or even putting in a GPS address.”
Yes, you can use your GPS to guide you to your destination while driving, but you cannot legally type in input while driving. And as for using your phone in an emergency while driving—that’s OK. For anything else, you’ll need to pull over and stop in a “safe area” to use the phone.
##RVT1160b
One has to think that it won’t be long before simple tasks such as adjusting the volume on your radio will be considered “distracted driving”. Here in CA I understand that if you talk on your phone while parked on the side of the road with the engine running you are guilty of distracted driving. Really….when you are parked?? When these laws were enacted the purpose was to deal with drivers talking or texting while actually driving but over the years a great deal more has been added to these laws such as talking on a CB or Ham radio.
Brad- adjusting the volume is certainly distracted driving. Anything causing attention away from the road is distracted driving.
It would be very interesting knowing your source of info about ” if you talk on your phone while parked on the side of the road with the engine running you are guilty of distracted driving” in CA. I have never heard of this before. Care to share?
Personally, I think this is something someone either made up or misunderstood the actual law which states: “drivers in California cannot use a handheld device while driving”. There is no mention of while parked.
You can get a DUI for sitting behind the steering wheel while parked if the keys are in your possession but not in the ignition in some states even with the engine stopped. With wireless key fobs the keys may always be in your pocket or purse and thus in your possession.
He wrote “with the engine running”. That’s probably why. Ohio’s new law does allow being stopped as an exception.
And so does California.
So when are they going to grab truckers?
For what?
In Alberta, the fines are much higher – $300 and 3 points for the first offence. However, the courts have ruled that talking on your phone or inputting GPS locations are OK if stopped in a legal parking spot, even if your engine is still running.
Why would the courts have to “rule” that it’s OK to talk on the phone or input information into a GPS if you are in a legal parking spot? That makes no sense.
It should be like this everywhere.
Thank you, Russ and Tina! 🙂 Good to know. We’ll be driving a few hours through Alabama in the next several days. Thankfully, DW has control over the RV’s GPS and she’s not driving. 🙂 Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
Stay off of I-10 for the entire weekend. Beach traffic and stressed idiots are out there. The miles of backups start Friday noon until Sunday evening. Not worth the pain.
Thank you, Tom! 🙂 Will do! Safe travels! 🙂
Distressed to find my nurse for a medical device was driving &talking despite Florida’s distracted driving law I remonstrated she said “It’s ok it’s a handsfree mode” No it wasn’t- having been a field Hospice nurse I understand the corporate pressures to skirt the law When I was toldto shorten my transport time between here& there (when I was already driving the speed limit) I asked my superior for a written letter from the CEO that the company would pay any fines&court costs incurred during my workday,&my car insurance when the rates went up due to points for traffic infractions incurred My boss said “That’s not going to happen” I said “Neither is my breaking the law”
There seems to be a race between manufacturers with how big the screens on navigation devices (built-in) are. I used to be able to turn a knob for volume, push a button to change station. No more buttons or knobs. I have to LOOK to turn on defroster, adjust fan speed, etc. All because some tech genius needs to change something or lose his job. I bought new car and can’t figure anything out now. Waiting for granddaughter to visit from California to help.
Controls on new cars are too complex. Touch the wrong thing and it’s a nightmare to figure how to correct. Especially in my wife’s KIA Sportage. Touch the wrong area on my GMC Sierra steering wheel and radio shuts off. Till you shut truck off a few minutes. My iPhone is the worst to figure out. Electronics have a mind of their own.
Driving up to 25 mph over the speed limit in Alabama is $20 +162 court cost. I have to tap my GPS screen to receive a call (it’s linked to my phone). So answer that call – which is always from my wife & always important – and I could pay $50 & I assume the same $162 court cost. While I agree Alabama needs to get after folks texting & driving, but me tapping my GPS screen once to receive an important call has gone way too far. And why hasn’t gone whole hog and getting after speeders? Every time I drive the speed limit I get dozens of vehicles in a row passing me like I’m standing still. Looks like Alabama is another state we’ll not be RVing in – thank you very much.
Read the link in the first paragraph. A single touch is allowed but things like entering coordinates is not.
Before people freak out, click the link in the first paragraph to display their informational poster. In the poster there is a blue link READ THE LAW on the right side.
The law is very reasonable and has reasonable exceptions such as CB radios, being stopped, etc.
No, I’m not from Alabama’s government and I don’t think I’ve ever been in Alabama.
Sweet home Alabama! They are coming for your radio next. Yep, just wait.
Have to wonder how the police manage to stay on the road. Look at all the items they can be distracted by. Radar, Computer, Radios etc With all those distractions how can they function?
Similar laws in Arizona. Ignored by everyone (based on my observations).
Have not heard of anyone cited.
Laws like this are always fraught with problems. I looked at the link for this Alabama law, The first part says “it’s illegal to hold a cell phone or any other electronic device while driving in Alabama.” So is that the crux of the law. If I am working with my built in GPS or a Dash mounted GPS or anything on my cell phone if it’s mounted in some kind of holder, am I in the clear. That part of the law sounds like it is. And the part about how much you do on the phone, (single tap vs. inputting info), a cop, driving in another vehicle is really going to be able to judge that?
I hope it applies to people using their radio to talk and make calls on their cell.
In Britain, touch your radio buttons has the same offense and texting and driving. You can only use your steering wheel buttons to make changes.
Colorado just passed a similar law that goes into effect July 1, 2024. No word on if there is a grace period. From my experience driving in Fort Collins to Denver roads if they enforce the new law they could probably make a million bucks easy.
I [proudly] live in Alabama and I find it amusing law enforcement will focus so much energy on GPS units while pure idiots putter along at 51 miles an hour in the fast lane, with a half a mile of cars piled up behind them, yet law enforcement does nothing! Go figure.
What is the minimum speed limit? Generally if there is one, it is 40 or 45 so 51 would not be a legal violation. It may infuriate you but it is probably legal.
most vehicles have a bluetooth or sync feature that allows for phone usage via your vehicles radio to be hands free, also controls on the steering wheel for both radio and phone functions, so WTH? just lazy, uninformed or simply don’t care attitudes when it comes right down to it, period! lived in California for 24 years, during that time the hands free law went into affect, also lived in Arizona for 8 years, where everyone makes up the rules of the road as they go even the cops do the same, there to a hands free was passed but gave over a year before enforcement but that is fluid at best, now living in Texas and don’t see any enforcement of hands free whatsoever…