September 25th, 2013 by WCBC Radio
Starting Oct. 1, police in Maryland will be able to pull drivers over for talking on a hand-held cell phone.
That's the biggest change in Maryland's driving laws set to take effect at the beginning of next month. Drivers caught driving while using a hand-held mobile phone can be fined $75 for a first-time offense, up from $40 under current law, but more for subsequent violations. The ticket carries no points unless the action contributed to an accident. Driving while talking on a hand-held cell phone was already against state law, but it was a secondary offense, meaning police could only ticket a driver for it if the driver was stopped for a primary offense, such as speeding. AAA Mid-Atlantic officials said in a release the new law will help reduce distracted driving…