Tennessee driving lesson · Vehicle Control & Defensive Driving
Distracted driving, hands-free law & carbon monoxide
A 4-minute lesson from the Tennessee course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Distracted driving is anything that takes your hands off the wheel, your eyes off the road, or your mind off driving — visual, manual or cognitive distraction. Phones are the most common and texting is the most alarming.
Common distractions
Talking or texting on a phone
Eating and drinking
Talking with passengers
Putting on makeup or shaving
Adjusting the radio, entertainment or navigation system
Texting while the vehicle is moving has been banned since July 1, 2009: a fine up to $50 plus court costs up to $10. On-duty police, firefighters, EMS and emergency management officers are exempt.
Since January 1, 2018, drivers 18 and older may not use a hand-held phone while moving in a marked school zone with flashers on, unless hands-free. For drivers under 18 there's no hands-free exception — it's a delinquent act.
It's illegal to install a screen showing TV or video that the driver can see while moving. GPS, vehicle information displays and camera views are allowed.
A deadly exhaust gas with no taste, smell or color. It can leak in when the heater is on, when the exhaust system is faulty, or from other cars' fumes in heavy traffic.
Your phone buzzes with a text while you're stopped in traffic on the interstate. Leave it. Holding it is illegal, and even reading it at a stop takes your attention off the road. If it's urgent, exit and park somewhere safe first.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
Since July 1, 2009, texting while driving in Tennessee is prohibited for:
Both teenage and adult drivers
Only teenage drivers
Only commercial drivers
Only drivers under 18 at night
Answer: Both teenage and adult drivers
As of July 1, 2009, texting while driving is prohibited for both teenage and adult drivers.
Under Tennessee's Hands-Free law, which action is illegal for a driver to do with a cellphone while driving?
Setting your GPS before you start driving
Holding the phone with any part of your body
Using the phone after pulling into a parking lot
Looking at a navigation display built into the car
Answer: Holding the phone with any part of your body
Tennessee's hands-free law makes it illegal to hold a phone or mobile device with any part of your body; set GPS before driving or pull over to a safe place to use the phone.