Missouri’s crackdown on distracted driving has begun in earnest, with dozens of drivers already facing penalties under the state’s new hands-free law.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports issuing approximately 50 tickets and over 1,400 warnings in the first two weeks of January 2025, marking a significant shift in enforcement.
The Siddens Bening Hands-Free Law
The law, which went into effect on August 28, 2023, prohibits drivers from holding or supporting a cell phone or other wireless device while driving.
It also bans manually typing, writing, sending, or reading text-based messages, as well as watching, recording, posting, or broadcasting videos while behind the wheel.
Named after Randall Siddens and Michael Bening, who tragically lost their lives due to distracted drivers, the law aims to reduce accidents and fatalities caused by phone use while driving.
Enforcement and Penalties
While the law has been in place since 2023, law enforcement officers were only permitted to issue warnings until January 1, 2025. Now, violators face substantial fines:
- First offense: Up to $150
- Second offense: $250
- Third and subsequent offenses: Up to $500 (within a two-year period)
Troop C officers, patrolling St. Louis and surrounding counties, have been particularly active, issuing 17 citations – the highest number in the state.
Impact on Road Safety
The implementation of the hands-free law has already shown promising results. According to a report by Cambridge Mobile Telematics, distracted driving in Missouri dropped by 5% between August 2023 and August 2024.
This reduction is estimated to have prevented over 1,000 crashes and saved $22 million in economic damages.
Sgt. Andrew Gadberry, MHSP Public Information officer, emphasized the danger of distracted driving, stating, “I’ve stopped people using their cell phones that I honestly thought were drunk. They were worse than a lot of the drunk drivers I see”.
Exceptions and Allowed Uses
While the law is strict, it does allow for some phone use while driving:
- Voice-operated or hands-free functions that can be engaged with a single touch or swipe
- Hands-free calls using built-in speakers, Bluetooth, or headsets
- Voice-to-text features
- GPS navigation and music functions
- Use of phone mounts
Public Response and Education
As enforcement begins, there’s a strong focus on educating the public about the new law. Nick Chabarria, spokesperson for AAA Missouri, noted, “Now, it’s about getting people to recognize and understand the law”.
The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety and other organizations are working to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and the importance of compliance with the new law.
As Missouri joins 48 other states in implementing hands-free driving laws, officials hope this measure will significantly reduce the number of accidents and fatalities caused by distracted driving.
In 2023 alone, 106 people in Missouri were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers. With stricter enforcement and growing public awareness, the state aims to make its roads safer for all users.
Sources:
- [1] https://spectrumlocalnews.com/mo/st-louis/news/2025/01/16/missouri-drivers-ticked-for-phone-use
- [2] https://news.mst.edu/2024/10/buckle-up-phone-down-missouri-st-encourages-safe-driving/
- [3] https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-01-01/missouri-drivers-could-pay-expensive-fines-if-theyre-caught-with-a-phone-in-their-hand
- [4] https://www.stlpr.org/law-order/2024-12-31/missouri-illegal-text-driving-hands-free-january-enforce-penalty
