Louisiana drivers have to put down their cell phones while in motion under a new law that took effect last week.
Gov. Jeff Landry believes the new law will help lower the state's auto insurance rates, which are the most expensive in the country.
Republican Slidell Rep. Brian Glorioso's Act 288 makes handheld cell phone use illegal while driving, including talking, texting and engaging in social media or apps.
Drivers can still operate their phone using hands-free technology. They can also hold their phones while parked or stopped at red lights.
"This is one of the great pieces of legislation that has evaded us at this Capitol," the Republican governor said while signing Glorioso's bill into law. "Finally this year we were able to pass a distracted driving (law).
"If you quit texting and driving it's less accidents and if there's less accidents there's less lawsuites. It's a great bill."
More than 30 states have enacted bans on hand-held cell phone use while driving.
Though the law took effect Aug. 1, police officers can only give drivers a warning until Jan. 1, 2026.
And the law prevents officers from conducting a traffic stop based only for violating the cell phone ban. Drivers can only be ticketed for violating the ban as a secondary offense, which means they were pulled over for another primary violation.
But current law does allow officers to pull drivers over for violating the ban in school and construction zones.
The penalty for violating the new law will be a $100 citation, while the fine is $250 in school zones.
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Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Will Louisiana's new cell phone law lower auto insurance rates?
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