PORTLAND, Maine — A thousand people are injured and 9 people are killed every day in the U.S. because of distracted driving, according to AAA of Northern New England.
That is why they say a bill passed through the legislature Wednesday that would make all handheld phone use while driving illegal should be signed by Gov Mills.
Mills is expected to sign the legislation that would replace current law that only limits the use of phones behind the wheel.
"Driving is a really complex task," AAA spokesperson Pat Moody said. " You need your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel."
If signed, the bill "An Act To Prohibit the Use of Handheld Phones and Devices While Driving", requires that any electronic devices used while driving be hands-free.
That means you cannot call, text, Snapchat or do anything with your phone in your hand while you're on the road.
Instead, you would have to use Bluetooth technology or your car's infotainment system to place calls.
Many say it is because a current bill that bans texting while driving has proven nearly impossible to enforce.
"Law enforcement is having a real challenge with people because it's hard to determine if the person is dialing their phone or doing something else," Moody said.
Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says that though 97 percent of drivers say texting or emailing while driving is dangerous, 45 percent admit to having read a text or email while driving in the past month. 35 percent admit to having typed one.
"By removing the smartphone from your hand, you're redirecting your attention to what you should really being doing out there on the highways," Moody said.
Maine would join 38 states across the country that currently have hands-free laws.