A law increasing the number of points charged to a person’s driving record for violations of driving while using a cell phone went into effect on Monday.
The legislation, HB0485/SB0589, was passed by the Tennessee General Assembly and signed by Governor Bill Lee in May 2023. The bill was sponsored by State Representative Clark Boyd (R-Lebanon) and State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon).
The bill is entitled the “Eddie Conrad Act” – named after Wilson County business owner, Eddie Conrad, who was killed in July 2020. Conrad’s vehicle was hit from behind by a distracted driver on Sparta Pike, pushing his vehicle into oncoming traffic. Conrad died after being removed from a life-support system at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Under the new law, drivers under the age of 18 will receive seven points added to their driving record if it is their second or subsequent violation of using a “wireless telecommunications device” while driving.
Holding, reaching for, or using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle is prohibited under current law in Tennessee.
The penalty for using a cell phone while driving is a Class C misdemeanor, subject to imposition of a fine not to exceed $50 for first-time offenders. For three or more violations of the law, or if the violation results in an accident, the fine increases to $100.
First-offense violators of the law are able to complete a driver education course in lieu of the fine.
The new law comes as a recent study showed Tennessee as a top ten state for having the most distracted drivers.
Data compiled by the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) for the first half of 2023 showed the Volunteer State ranking eighth in the nation in regards to having the highest levels of distracted driving incidents.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Distracted Driver” by Tom Saunders / VADOT.
How about state law makers focus on first following the Constitution, the law of the land. We want sound money in Tennessee as our Constitution states.
Another ” feel good ” law passed by ineffective law makers . It’s a great idea but Tennessee already has a distracted driver law . The problem is how are LEO going to enforce it. I wonder how many motorists have been cited for distracted driving in the past year . Unless communities adopt street and highway camera surveillance . Metro Nashville council will never pass that ordinance . The next time you are out driving , take a look around , everyone has a phone in their hands while driving . All in violation of the current law .