In 2021, traffic death tolls increased across the country by 16% from 2020 statistics. The majority of these accidents and deaths are caused by distracted and unsafe driving which is any activity that takes away your attention from safe driving.  Cell phones are the most dangerous distraction for drivers according to NHTSA. 

Currently, 49 states have adopted a ban on texting and driving, and 25 states have banned all handheld cellphone use behind the wheel. The state of Georgia banned drivers from holding mobile devices when behind the wheel through the Hands-Free Georgia act in 2018. 

Georgia lawmakers are looking to loosen that law in 2022 by adding exemptions for drivers to use their cell phones and other devices when their motor vehicle is at a standstill in traffic or at traffic control stops.

Recently, Doug Turnbull, Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Gridlock Guy, asked Mike Lutzenkirchen, Executive Director of the Lutzie 43 Foundation and Marietta, Georgia resident, his thoughts on the Georgia lawmakers loosening the hands-free law. Mike simply said: “Would any lawmaker that lost someone close to them in a crash caused by bad driving behavior want to liberalize safe driving laws?”.

The Lutzie 43 Foundation was established in loving memory of Philip Lutzenkirchen, shortly after his death from a distracted and impaired driving accident in 2014. The objective of the foundation is to inspire people to make better decisions as drivers and friends, using Philip’s life and legacy to inspire change. The foundation’s motto for drivers is to “Live like Lutz, Love like Lutz, and Learn from Lutz,” reflecting the desire to help others live out the many positive attributes that Philip displayed while learning from the circumstances that led to his death.

Read more on Mike’s comments and the feelings of others in Doug Turnbull’s most recent article: Gridlock Guy: Examining the proposal to loosen Georgia’s hands-free law.