Can you send a text message at a red light? What Georgia law says
Stop at any red light in Georgia and you’re likely to see at least one driver with a phone in their hand.
While drivers know distracted driving is a no-no, what does the law say about using your phone when your foot is on the brake?
Distracted driving
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving can be anything from adjusting your radio to calling your mama. People have been known to read, eat, scold children in the backseat, put on make-up and go live on TikTok.
But more than 32,000 people died in crashes involving distracted drivers from 2014 to 2023.
The statistics are worse for drivers between the ages of 16 and 24.
If you think you can multitask, you’re wrong. Your brain doesn’t work that way. According to the Mississippi Department of Transportation, “instead of processing both cognitive tasks at once, the brain rapidly switches between the two activities.”
Drivers can miss seeing up to 50% of their environment, a phenomenon MDOT calls “inattention blindness.”
Tips for safe driving
The NHTSA recommends:
Pulling over to send or receive text messages,
Appointing one of your passengers as the “designated texter” to handle all of your texts, and
Storing your phone in your trunk before you get behind the wheel.
One thing the NHTSA does not recommend is using a handheld phone at a red light or stop sign. In fact, many states can pull you over for it.
Can you text at a red light or stop sign in Georgia?
According to the Hands-Free Georgia Act (O.C.G.A. §40-6-241), it is illegal to write, send, read, text, or post to a social network using a hand-held cell phone while operating a vehicle.
Law enforcement say you are in control of (or operating) a moving vehicle as long as that vehicle is on and in the drive gear. Drivers may use phones once their vehicle is legally parked. However, “this does not include vehicles stopped for traffic signals and stop signs on the public roadway,” according to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
The Hands Free Law also states:
- A cell phone cannot touch any part of a driver’s body
- Drivers can use ear pieces, speakerphones or electronic watches to make or receive phone calls
- A driver may not watch a video unless it is for navigation
- A driver can use a continuously running dash cam, but may not record a video in any other circumstance
- Music streaming apps are allowed if they are activated or programmed while the vehicle is parked. Music streaming videos are not allowed
- Drivers can use music streaming apps that are connected to their vehicle’s radio
The law does not apply to radios, two-way radios, navigation devices or subscription-based emergency communication devices.
If your next road trip crosses state lines, play it safe. Nearly every state has its own version of the law.
However, Montana still holds to the wild west mentality. As of April, 2025, there are no bans on the books for handhelds, texts or inexperienced drivers using cells.
What if there is an emergency?
Georgia law makes exceptions for reporting traffic crashes, medical emergencies, fires, criminal activity or hazardous road conditions.
Utility workers responding to an emergency are also allowed to use cell phones.
First responders, including police officers, firefighters and EMS can use phones in an official capacity.
What happens if you’re caught?
Penalties for texting are as follows:
- On your first conviction in a 24-month period, one point on your driving record and a fine of up to $50
- On your second conviction, two points and a fine up to $100
- On your third and following convictions, three points and a fine up to $150
