Maine Predicts Police Will Write 5,500 Tickets A Year Under New Hands-Free Law

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine law enforcement officers have written up several hundred motorists for violating a law that prohibits motorists from using hand-held electronic devices.

The Portland Press Herald reports that 232 tickets have been written since the law went into effect on Sept. 19. Fine and fees are $85 for first-time offenders.

Legislative analysts predicted that in the first full fiscal year that ends June 30, 2021, police could write 5,500 citations, or about 458 tickets per month.

Officers are allowed to issue a ticket if they see a phone in the hand of a motorist. Drivers are permitted to use hands-free calling systems or aftermarket Bluetooth devices to make and receive calls hands-free.

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