Does Huntsville’s hands-free ordinance apply at red lights?

A reader asked: “Does the new hands-free regulation apply at red lights or in other situations where traffic is stopped? Can a citizen report a violation of the regulation? If so, how?”

On Monday, the city began enforcing a ban on holding cellphones or other digital devices while driving, as noted in a June 30 Huntsville Times cover story. After a six-month grace period that began Jan. 1, law enforcement can now stop and ticket drivers who hold a phone, tablet or similar device behind the wheel.

There are limited exceptions — voice-activated smartwatches are allowed, for example, because they are touchless by nature, and paramedics or other drivers responding to emergencies can hold the devices — but the ban applies to most drivers and mobile devices, regardless of whether the driver is talking, texting, posting or watching a video. If you have a device in your hand and are driving under normal conditions, it is probably now illegal.

The city’s website page has 14 frequently asked questions, one of which is about the red light issue. Stopping in traffic does not exempt you from the ban.

Even when waiting at a red light or railroad crossing, “Drivers must keep their hands free on the road,” the website states. “The goal is to keep the driver’s attention focused on the road and surroundings. If drivers must physically operate their cellphones or digital devices, they should safely pull off the road.”

A city spokesman said the Huntsville Police Department will take reports of drivers violating the hands-free ordinance. Callers should use the emergency number at 256-722-7100 and be prepared to provide a description of the vehicle, as well as its location and direction of travel.

Callers should follow the same rules for using a hands-free device: there is no exception to the regulation requiring a driver holding a mobile phone to report the fact that another driver is holding a mobile phone.