INDIANAPOLIS — It is against the law to use your cellphone while driving, but the Indiana Department of Transportation and the Indiana State Police say drivers are doing it anyway.
That’s why Wednesday, Oct. 25 has been named Buckle Up Phone Down Day.
It is a way to raise awareness about Indiana’s hands-free law and encourage people on the road to drive more responsibly by wearing a seatbelt.
The hands-free law went into effect in 2020. It bans drivers from holding electronic devices in their hands while driving.
Even though there is a law in place, INDOT reports mobile devices were involved in nearly 7,000 crashes in 2022 — resulting in 468 deaths.
There were roughly 980 people killed in car crashes last year, about 250 of them were not wearing a seatbelt.