How to prepare your car before the hands-free law goes into effect

BOSTON — The new hands-free law makes it clear that anyone holding a cell phone is in violation and you could start receiving warnings on Sunday.

But, with just three days left before the law goes into effect, is your car equipped to ensure you don’t get caught driving and holding your phone?

Come Feb. 23, drivers will no longer be able to hold their phones to their ears or hold it up to their mouths while on speaker, they won’t even be able to hold it for directions. Even at a red light, everything has to be hands-free or voice commanded.

What do you do if your car doesn’t give you that option?

“My car is a 2007 model and I can’t afford a new car,” said Jess Anderson.

Anderson, a self-admitted broke college student, says she had no idea about the new law until a Boston 25 News reporter told her about it.

“I use this [auxiliary cord] right here, I just plug it in my phone,” said Anderson. “It’s like, ‘Oh god, what am I gonna do?’”

Anderson’s auxiliary cord will work as long as she never holds her phone, but she also admits that will be tough without a car mount or Bluetooth capabilities.

Police across the state say they will be out in full force enforcing the new law. As for people like Anderson, who don’t have a Bluetooth set-up or a dashboard mount, Manchester-By-The-Sea Police Chief Todd Fitzgerald advises the best would be to pull over to answer a phone call.

“There are Bluetooth headsets, but you cannot wear a headset when you’re driving a motor vehicle technically so I would suggest the best thing to do is to pull over in a safe location,” said Fitzgerald. “[But] try not to pull over on a highway because that could be very dangerous.”

How to prepare your car before the hands-free law goes into effect The new hands-free law makes it clear that anyone holding a cell phone is in violation and you could start receiving warnings on Sunday.

“I might have to see what stores have for new technology because I may have to buy something,” said Anderson.

Many across the state are finding themselves in the same situation as Anderson. Employees at electronic stores say devices that allow people to plug their phones in and not have to hold them are flying off the shelves.

For those who already have Bluetooth, the principal still applies.

“I don’t read my texts when I drive anyway so I don’t do the voice to text or whatnot, but everything comes up through my car anyway so I can answer the phone when I drive to my car,” said Danielle Blades, of Danvers.

Police say they don’t expect everyone to know the law as soon as it goes into effect. State Police Colonel Christopher Mason says there will be a grace period, where they’ll roll out public education efforts until late March, but after that, they will beef up patrols and even tickets.

“I don’t really like that, I feel like everyone uses the phone when you’re driving even though they’re not supposed to,” said Anderson. “Not fun, I can’t afford anything.”

State Police will be deploying dozens of extra patrols across the state to kick off Sunday’s new law. Some patrols will have two troopers in each cruiser, one driving, and one whose sole job is to spot drivers with a phone in their hand.

Mass.gov pamphlet on the new law

Everything you need to know before the Hands-Free law goes into effect The new hands-free law passed in 2019 and will take effect on Feb. 23, aiming to end hand-held cellphone use on the road.

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