It has now been over 30 days since South Carolina started issuing citations for the Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Law on Feb. 28, and according to data from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, there have been 141 related citations in Lexington County so far.

“South Carolina’s Hands-Free Law prohibits drivers from holding or supporting a mobile device with any part of their body to read or send texts or emails, use websites, browse/post on social media, watch movies, or take calls and video calls,” according to a SCDPS press release. “Exceptions to the law include using a mobile electronic device while legally parked or stopped, using the device in hands-free mode, and listening to audio content as long as drivers are not holding the device while doing so. Law enforcement and first responders are also exempt while performing official duties.”

In Lexington County, 86 of the related 141 citations given between Feb. 28 and March 29 were from officers with SCDPS, which includes the S.C. Highway Patrol, S.C. State Transport Police and the S.C. Bureau of Protective Services; the other 55 citations were from reporting agencies in the area.

Statewide, there have been 3,495 related citations so far, including 1,994 from the SCDPS and 1,501 from reporting agencies around the state; however, law enforcement agencies have until the 10th of each month to report their numbers, which may impact these statistics, according to the press release.

South Carolina drivers had a six-month warning period before citations started on Feb. 28.