Heads up!
Drivers with their eyes on the road in Marietta this weekend will be reminded to start keeping their hands on the wheel — and off their phones.
The state’s new distracted driving bill will go into effect July 1. Under it, a driver who holds a cell phone while operating their vehicle could receive a $50 fine and a point on their license for a first offense with steeper penalties if caught again. It is going into place due to Gov. Nathan Deal’s signature on House Bill 673, which was sponsored by state Rep. John Carson, R-northeast Cobb.
But those who passed through five Marietta intersections Thursday and Friday saw signs already reminding them of the incoming law — an effort Marietta Police Officer Chuck McPhilamy says is to get motorists to start putting down their devices before earning a ticket for violating the new law or potentially causing a crash.
“We feel like it would be irresponsible of us to wait until July 1 to start sharing that message when we believe that outcome will be safer driving and fewer accidents,” McPhilamy said. “We also believe that it’s our duty to educate the public before July 1 rather than start pulling cars over on July 1.”
Citizens who are stopped on Marietta roads for a moving violation by uniform patrol or selective traffic enforcement officers will receive a pamphlet explaining the hands-free law, as will residents who interact with the city’s public safety ambassadors.
Those attending local worship services starting this weekend may also receive reminders, as Marietta Police have given the same tracts to faith-based leaders to share with their congregations.
And employees of three of Cobb’s top 10 largest employers — WellStar Health System, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and Six Flags Over Georgia — along with Marietta City Schools may see in their email inboxes digital copies of the pamphlet due to the department’s efforts.
The multi-pronged approach is aimed at telling drivers both young and old to use hands-free options when using their phones while driving, from the young driver who has had mobile devices almost all their lives to the man in his 50s McPhilamy said he had pulled behind Friday morning on Roswell Street near the Big Chicken before going on duty.
“And he clearly speaks with his hands. The problem with that is he was using his left hand to attempt to speak, his right hand to hold the phone, and his forearm to steer the vehicle. The result was he was unable to maintain lane and drove very erratically,” McPhilamy said.
Safer options, and ones allowed under the incoming law, are the use of Bluetooth earpieces or speakerphone software to enable drivers to talk on the phone or use navigation apps without using their hands. It is also OK to use a single swipe of the hand to activate a voice-to-text app on a phone mounted on the vehicle’s dashboard. Some newer-model cars come pre-programmed with technology to connect a phone with the car’s speaker system.
Intersections within the city where drivers will see the signs reminding them of the incoming law are:
* Church Street at Sessions Street
* Cobb Parkway North at Allgood Road
* Cobb Parkway South at Windy Hill Road
* South Marietta Parkway at Cobb Parkway South
* South Marietta Parkway at Powers Ferry Road
Article Originally Posted On: Marietta Daily Journal
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