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District of Columbia · Through 2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)

D.C. Code § 50-1731.04: Restricted use of mobile telephone and other electronic devices.

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Where this section sits in the code
  1. Title 50. Motor and Non-Motor Vehicles and Traffic.
  2. Chapter 17A. Distracted Driving Prevention.

(a)

No person shall, while operating a motor vehicle in the District:

(1)

Use, or attempt to use, a mobile telephone or other personal wireless communications device without using a hands-free accessory; or

(2)

Hold, or attempt to hold, a mobile telephone or other personal wireless communications device.

(b)

The provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to the following:

(1)

Emergency use of a mobile telephone, including calls to 911 or 311, a hospital, an ambulance service provider, a fire department, a law enforcement agency, or a first-aid squad;

(2)

Use of a mobile telephone by law enforcement and emergency personnel or by a driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, acting within the scope of official duties;

(3)

Initiating or terminating a telephone call, or turning the telephone on or off; or

(4)

The operation of a vehicle that has stopped on the side of, or off, an active roadway in a location where it can safely remain stationary.

(c)

No person shall use headphones that cover both ears or earbuds in both ears while operating a motor vehicle in the District, except if the headphones or earbuds are being used to assist a hearing-impaired driver.

Collected 2026-08-29T05:44:07Z. Source file · JSON

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