Your Phone Behind the Wheel
La. R.S. 32:59 — no holding or using a phone while driving unless the car is lawfully stationary
No one may operate a wireless device while driving a motor vehicle on a public road, unless the vehicle is lawfully stationary. That covers calls without a hands-free phone, texting, social media, photos and video, and simply holding the device in either hand.
| Where | Kind of offense | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| WhereA school zone or highway construction zone | Kind of offensePrimary | Fine$250 |
| WhereAnywhere else | Kind of offenseSecondary, only after a stop for something else | Fine$100 |
| WhereEither, during a crash | Kind of offenseAs above | FineDouble |
- Reporting a crash, an emergency or a road hazard, dialing 9-1-1, and hands-free navigation are allowed.
- A secondary violation alone is no ground to search or seize the phone or the car, or to make a custodial arrest.
- In the first year after a first license, a driver may not use a cellular telephone for any purpose while driving, except to contact public safety or while parked.
Sources for this section (2)
- La. R.S. 32:59 — Use of wireless telecommunications device prohibited; exceptions
- La. R.S. 32:289.1 — Cellular telephone use; certain drivers prohibited; exceptions; penalties
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Louisiana attorney.