Georgia instated its texting and driving law in July 2018. The penalties are a $50 fine and a point on your driving record for a first offense and additional fines and points for subsequent violations.

Texting and driving in Georgia is a primary offense, meaning law enforcement can pull you over if they see you using a phone or mobile device behind the wheel.
In the first six months after Georgia launched its hand-free cell phone law, officers wrote 8,036 tickets for instances of handheld device use.
Georgia texting and driving laws apply to drivers of all ages.
Hands-free devices are permitted, but you may not touch your phone while driving at any point in time.

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Georgia driving laws

It’s illegal to text and drive in Georgia

Texting and driving in Georgia is a primary offense: This means that even if you’re seemingly in total control of your vehicle and not breaking any other laws, a police officer has the right to pull you over and issue a ticket if they see you texting while behind the wheel.

According to the Georgia Office of Highway Safety, Georgia’s Hands-Free Law states that the following is banned while driving:

Handheld cell phone use, or having it touch any part of your body (shoulder, lap, etc.)

Writing, reading, or sending texts

Reading or posting to social media (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc.) or e-mail

Using a handheld device to record or view videos

Adjusting music or audio programs such as podcasts on a handheld device (including adjusting volume, skipping songs, changing playlists, etc.)

Any behaviors involving handheld devices while driving are banned. However, you can use your phone for maps or navigational purposes. You can also use it to stream music, but it has to be queued up before you start driving, and it must be played through your car’s stereo. Voice-to-text features may be allowed, but the process of sending or reading any texts must be truly hands-free when you’re on the move.

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Texting and driving laws, explained

The penalties for texting and driving in Georgia

In Georgia, the typical penalties for texting and driving are fines and points on your license. For a first offense texting and driving violation, the penalties are a $50 fine and one point added to your driver’s license. Each additional offense increases the fine penalty and points on your license and puts you in the running for license suspension.

Here are the possible punishments for a texting and driving violation:

Offense	Fine	Points
1st offense	$50	1
2nd offense within 2 years	$100	2
Subsequent offenses	$150	3

If you accrue multiple violations within two years, you could be fined at least $300 and face a license suspension.

Exceptions to Georgia’s texting and driving law

There are multiple, although limited, exceptions to Georgia’s texting and driving law. Special circumstances include:

First responders (police, fire, EMS) performing job duties

Utility service providers responding to an emergency

Drivers who are reporting a crime, emergency, or traffic accident

Using GPS devices and dashboard cameras

Using radio devices and in-vehicle security and navigation systems

Being legally parked while you are using the device (Stopped at a stop sign or traffic light doesn’t count!)

Handheld electronic device use is never allowed outside of these particular circumstances: If you plan to stream music or send text messages, you need to have systems in place ahead of time so you don’t touch your phone while driving.

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How much a distracted driving ticket will cost you in the long run

Texting and driving for young drivers in Georgia

There are no special rules for young drivers who text and drive—using wireless telecommunications devices while driving is illegal for everyone.

Before 2018, drivers under 18 were not allowed to use any devices, including hands-free, while driving in Georgia. Now young drivers are also permitted to use hands-free devices—so long as they follow the no-touch rules.

Texting and driving could raise your insurance premium

Getting ticketed for texting and driving in Georgia could raise your

car insurance

premium. When your insurance company reviews your driving record and sees the new violation and point, they will likely increase your rate due to the increased risks for car accidents that distracted drivers can bring on.

Many first-time offenders can get their charges dropped if they can prove to the court that they’ve obtained hands-free technology they intend to use. If that happens, take the lesson seriously—

distracted driving

significantly increases the chances of getting into an accident and cause a great deal of harm.

The best way to prevent harm to others and texting and driving charges is to tuck away your phone and other hand-held devices. If you want to use your phone for GPS, make sure it’s mounted, and pull up the route to your destination before pulling onto the road. It’s easy to set yourself up for a safe and violation-free ride by making all of your adjustments ahead of time.

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How to save on your Georgia car insurance costs