Louisiana Residents Might Talk Less in Their Cars with New Law, Trying to End Distractions

(KPEL News) - Louisiana people are skilled in many areas, and one of those areas is communication. If you love to talk on your cellphone in your car while on Louisiana roadways, the way you go about that will be changing.

For years, some Louisiana lawmakers have been trying to make it illegal for someone to talk on their phones with the phone to their ear.

It is already illegal for you to drive and be on social media.

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Louisiana Bans Handheld Phone Use While Driving—Here’s What to Know

Included in that law, it is already illegal for people to text and drive, so that's something you can't do while driving.

With the signature of Governor Jeff Landry, people will no longer be allowed to hold their phones in their hands while having a conversation.

This won't be a problem if your vehicle has Bluetooth, but plenty of cars don't.

Banning Hand-Held Cellphones In Cars Is A Secondary Offense

The law concerning it being illegal to have a cellphone in your hand and making a call will be a secondary offense. What does that mean?

Simply put, that means you will not be pulled over solely for that offense. You'll be pulled over for something else, and if the officer notices you were talking on your phone with it in your hand, you can be cited for that offense as well.

This likely will also come into play if you have a crash while driving. Investigators will be looking to determine whether you were talking on your phone while holding it.

READ MORE: ALARMING VIRAL PHOTO ON I-10 SPARKS CONCERN OVER DISTRACTED DRIVING IN LOUISIANA

Talking On Your Phone Hands-Free Is Still Distracting

One thing to consider about talking while driving is that you are still distracted. Distracted driving, according to Louisiana officials, remains the leading cause of crashes in our state.

Here is a report from CBS News about how devastating car crashes can be, even if you are using a hands-free device:

According to officials, a grace period will be implemented in Louisiana after Governor Jeff Landry signs the legislation.

That means there will be several months of adjustment time for all drivers before they are cited after being pulled over for a primary offense, such as running a red light.

Another thing to consider when hitting the roadways? The 100 days of summer are here, and that can be dangerous for our teen drivers: