Indiana ban on drivers using handheld phones wins approval

State legislators have given their final approval to a proposal banning motorists from using handheld cellphones on Indiana roads to combat distracted driving. The Indiana House voted 81-11 and the Senate 49-1 on Tuesday in favor of the bill. The measure permits cellphone use by drivers only with hands-free or voice-operated technology, except in emergencies. The new law will take effect in July, but any tickets issued won’t result in points toward a driver’s license suspension until July 2021. State police say distracted driving was to blame in at least 860 injury crashes and 48 fatalities in Indiana last year.  (AP)