A new state safe driving law that took effect today prohibits all drivers from texting while driving and prohibits anyone under 18 from all cell phone use while driving.
Under the new law, Massachusetts drivers who text while driving, even while stopped in traffic or at a traffic light, face fines. The law also requires drivers 18 and older to keep at least one hand on the wheel while talking on a mobile phone or handheld device.
Under the law’s elderly driving provisions, driver’s license applicants age 75 or older, whether initially applying or renewing a license, must conduct the transaction in person in a Registry of Motor Vehicles office. All applicants, regardless of age, must undergo a vision test or provide a vision screening certificate to obtain or renew a license.
