After two years in a row of more than 1,000 fatalities on Missouri’s roadways, Governor Mike Parson signed the Siddens Bening Hands-Free Law, prohibiting all drivers from using a handheld electronic communication device while driving The law became effective Monday, August 28.

Distracted driving is a leading cause of crashes in Missouri. Between 2012 and 2021, there were nearly 200,000 distracted driving-related crashes in Missouri, resulting in at least 801 fatalities. Cell phone use is responsible for far more distracted driving crashes than are being reported, according to a recent report from the National Safety Council.

Drivers are prohibited from physically holding or supporting a cell phone with any part of their body; manually typing, writing, sending, or reading text-based messages; recording, posting, sending or broadcasting video, including video calls and social media posts; and watching a video or movie.