No person shall operate a motor vehicle while using a mobile or wireless telephone, unless the user receives or makes a call using a hands-free device or system. This provision shall not apply:
(a) When the vehicle is not in motion or blocking traffic;
(b) When making calls to or communicating with law enforcement agencies or in connection with any kind of medical or security emergency; it shall be understood as an emergency any situation of immediate risk to health, life, or property;
(c) When using a Global Positioning System (GPS);
(d) When initiating or ending a call; or in the case of emergency vehicle operators, while they are tending to an actual emergency as defined in this chapter;
(e) Provided, That no exception shall apply to bus, school bus, truck, or motorcycle operators.
This prohibition shall include sending and receiving text messages including, but not limited to, electronic mail, short message service (SMS), and personal identification number messages (PIN), among others; it shall be understood as receiving the reading of a received message.
Any driver who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of an administrative offense and shall be punished by a fifty dollar ($50) fine. Provided, That 10% of the revenues on account of these fines shall be allocated to the Highway Safety Program of the Traffic Safety Commission.
History —Jan. 7, 2000, No. 22, added as § 10.25 on Oct. 11, 2011, No. 201, § 3.