DRIVERS are facing major changes behind the wheel as 2025 has brought a flood of new traffic laws to the road.
Whether it’s paying attention to your speedometer or picking a safe parking spot, it’s crucial to know the ins and outs of the street to avoid getting slapped with fees that break the bank.
Drivers could face massive fines over new road laws implemented this year (stock image)[/caption]
There are seven laws put into place this year that have changed roads forever.
One new rule has already been implemented in 32 states throughout the country.
‘TOUCH’ LAW
On August 1, Louisiana became the 32nd state to enforce the hands-free law.
Drivers aren’t allowed to hold their phones at all while behind the wheel under the law.
If you want to use your phone, you must be parked or use a hands-free device.
The only exception is for GPS navigation or to answer a phone call in an emergency, but you still can’t be holding it while you’re driving.
Drivers who are caught holding their cell phones on the road will be hit with $100 fines.
Anyone who touches their phone in a school zone or construction zone will have their ticket increased to $250.
CAR SEAT LAWS
On January 1, a car seat law was placed on drivers in Colorado.
Parents faced major changes to the age and weight requirements for kids who ride in vehicles.
Under the new law, a child is required to be in a rear-facing car seat from the time they’re born until age two.
They’re only allowed to face forward when they weigh 40 pounds, which doubles the previous weight requirement of 20 pounds.
If older than two, kids can be in either a rear-facing or forward-facing seat.
Children between four and nine and over 40 pounds have to be in a booster seat or forward-facing car seat.
HANDS OFF
Currently, there are 32 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands, where drivers are prohibited from using hand-held cell phones while driving.
Across these states, law enforcement officers can generally ticket a driver for using a hand-held cell phone without any other traffic offense taking place.
Some states, however, don’t have a complete ban on hand-held devices, but may instead have restrictions for specific groups – like novice drivers or school bus drivers.
What’s more, most states ban texting while driving.
The aforementioned 31 states are:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
A similar law was implemented in Michigan in April.
Under the new Michigan rules, babies are required to be in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by manufacturers, or until they turn two years old.
Previously, the rule let parents turn their kids forward at one year old.
After they age out of the car seats, kids have to sit in forward-facing car seats until they’re at least five.
‘RESTRICTOR’ LAW
In North Carolina, drivers will now be forced to install an ignition interlock device if they face drunk driving charges.
This means that under the new law, people will have to blow into a sensor to determine if they’re inebriated before the car starts.
But if you have a clean driver’s license, you have nothing to worry about.
DIGITAL LICENSE LAW
Another road law was passed in Illinois that could make life easier for drivers.
Starting on January 1, drivers are allowed to carry digital versions of their license without risking a citation.
Digital IDs are newly offered when people get physical copies of their licenses.
New driving laws in 2025
Drivers across the United States are having to adjust to a slew of new road rules that take effect in 2025. Some of those include:
- Daylighting law prohibiting drivers from parking their cars within 20 feet of any crosswalk in California
- Stricter street racing penalties in California
- Changes to car seat age and weight requirements in Colorado
- Fines for failing to follow designated enter and exit areas for express lanes in Colorado
- Bans on handheld devices while driving in Colorado and Missouri
- Drivers allowed to have a digital copy of their license on their cell phones in Illinois
- Yield right of way to emergency vehicles in Illinois
- Drivers required to take a vision test to renew licenses in Kentucky
- School bus safety law in Oregon
- Vehicle safety inspections scrapped in Texas
SPLITTING LANES
Under another new law, drivers are now required to make room for motorcyclists on the roads.
In Minnesota, lane splitting is now legal.
This means motorcycles can go in between cars in lanes.
However, the bikers have to go 25 miles or less on a two-way road.
If there’s a traffic jam, bikers can move ahead through the middle of lanes if they’re going 15 mph or under.
SEATBELT LAW
Another law threatens drivers with $25 tickets.
In Virginia, people riding in the backseats of cars could be slapped with a fine if they aren’t wearing seatbelts.
Cops aren’t allowed to pull someone over if they notice the violation, but they could tack on the extra charges if they see that passengers aren’t buckled during an unrelated traffic stop.
