MA Law Could Have You Shelling Out Cash While on the Road

In case you don't recall the hands-free law went into effect in Massachusetts back in February 2020. It's hard to believe that this Massachusetts law has been in effect for over two years now but it has. When you look at the law it's pretty straightforward. You can't be holding or messing with electronic devices while you're driving. Yes, this includes your cell phone.

What are the Penalties for Breaking the Hands-Free Law in Massachusetts?

Violations of this law can get pretty hefty depending on how many times you break it. You could be paying anywhere from $100 to $500 in fines. Plus, you'll have to deal with enrolling in distracted driving programs and a whole host of headaches. Nobody needs that, especially around the holidays. You can get those details by going to mass.gov.

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I find it interesting that the hands-free law doesn't include eating considering eating behind the wheel is a pretty common activity. In case you had the following question in mind:

Is it Illegal to Eat While Driving in Massachusetts?

It isn't but it is a potential road hazard. Sure, it's something that many of us do and it does count as distracted driving but there isn't an actual Massachusetts law against driving and eating at the same time. I have also noticed that there is nothing about banning reading while driving or putting makeup on while driving. There are plenty of crazy activities that many of us do while driving and they're not illegal but they are still hazardous to other drivers and ourselves. As a matter of fact, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in 2019, 15% of all motor vehicle traffic crashes in the United States involved distraction. Let's make sure we do our best to curb distractions when driving.

READ ON: Do you remember these prices?

LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving

To find out more about how has the price of gas changed throughout the years, Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a gallon of gasoline for each of the last 84 years. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in April 2020), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2020 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year.

Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.

Gallery Credit: Sophia Crisafulli