Vijay b. Dixit, Chairman Shreya R. Dixit Memorial Foundation August 1, 2019 is the day when the new Hands-free Law goes into effect. Getting the Hands-free legislation passed only paved the way for a distraction-free driving future. Now we must make it work. Laws succeed only if they get support from an intelligently designed execution plan by the government. This week’s launch of the public education campaign about the law by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety is laudable. It…

In just over a month, the new hands-free cellphone law will go into effect. Drivers will no longer be allowed to hold cellphones while the car is in motion. The Shreya R. Dixit Foundation is dedicated to making drivers aware of the new regulations, for their own safety. Here is an easy summary of what’s allowed, according to the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety: “They will be able to use their phones to make calls, text, listen to music or…

August 1, 2019 is the date when the new Hands-free Law goes live. That is great news. But I would personally like to add an informal footnote alert. Let us not assume that just because one uses a hands-free/Bluetooth enabled phone, one does not have to worry about distracted driving. Let us be clear. Hands-free is not Distraction-free. It is true that the new law addresses one of the major sources of distracted driving, i.e. using a handheld phone while…

We are working on changing the culture around distracted driving. Even though distracted driving is killing thousands in the U.S. every year, drivers continue to do it. And you’ve likely been in the car with someone who was distracted. Did you ask them to put the phone down? To save the sandwich for home? Or offer to find the perfect radio station so they can focus on driving? Imagine if you’re in the car on your phone and your friend…