Colorado's new hands-free driving law is now in effect, but we're still hearing some questions about exactly what the law does and does not permit, and the devices available to avoid the hefty fines. Denver7 will sit down with Rep. Meg Froelich, who sponsored the bill that was signed into law late this past spring, on Monday evening to ask her common questions about this new law.Watch our interview with Rep. Froelich below. Colorado's new hands-free driving law: A Q&A with one of the bill's sponsorsQ. When did this law go into effect?A. It went into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. Senate Bill 24-065 was introduced on Jan. 19, 2024 and was signed into law on June 5, 2024. Colorado's previous distracted driving law prohibited texting while driving, and this new law expands upon any phone use while driving. You can learn more about how this bill came about and when it passed in our report below. Putting the brakes on Colorado's ban of hand-held phones while driving not an option anymoreQ. What does "hands-free" mean, exactly? Hands-free means that while you're driving, your phone does not touch your hands. Alternative ways of accessing your phone include "Bluetooth headsets, dashboard mounts, CarPlay and Android auto and car speaker phone systems," according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Holding your phone between your shoulder and ear is not permitted. Simply putting your phone on speakerphone and holding it is also not legal. If you're going to make a phone call and need to hold the device, CDOT recommends starting the call before driving. Q. Is it OK to use headphones while driving to listen to a call?It is illegal in Colorado to drive with headphones or earbuds in both ears. Q. What are the penalties for this offense? For the first offense, penalties start with a $75 fine and two license suspension points. In this first-case scenario, you can have the charge dismissed if you provide proof that you have purchased a hands-free accessory for your phone. There is no grace period for this law. Repeat offenders will face higher fines and more points. Penalties rise to $250 and 4 license points by the third offense.Q. Am I allowed to hold my phone at a red light? No. This law still applies if you are stopped at a light or in traffic. Colorado law banning all hand-held phone use while driving goes into effect on Jan. 1Q. How will the law be enforced?If a law enforcement officer sees a person driving carelessly while holding a phone, they can pull that individual over. Q. Are there any exceptions to this law? Yes, there are a few. People who are reporting an emergency, utility workers, code enforcement officers, animal protection officers and first responders are exempt. The law also does not apply to anybody with a commercial driver's license operating a commercial vehicle. If your car is parked, you are good to use your phone. Q. How big of a problem is distracted driving in Colorado?According to CDOTs 2024 Driver Behavior Report, 77% of Colorado drivers admitted to using their phones while driving. In 2020, a CDOT study found that distracted driving accounted for more than 10,000 crashes, 1,400 injuries and 68 deaths. In 2021, 72 people died in crashes that were tied to distracted driving. Distracted driving is also now the No. 3 cause of traffic-related crashes in Colorado, according to CDOT. In a survey conducted in 2023, 76% of Colorado drivers reported using their phones hands-free or handheld while driving, which was up from 67% in 2022. Q. How many other states have laws like this one? Colorado will join 27 other states that have similar laws already in the books, including California, which saw a 31% reduction in traffic-related deaths two years after a ban on cellphone use while driving was implemented.In addition, Washington, D.C. nearly reduced traffic deaths by half two years after passing a law banning cellphone use behind the wheel 20 years ago.Q. Where can I learn more about this law? Denver7 has published multiple stories leading up to the law going into effect. Here's our reporting from after the bill passed, three weeks before it went into effect, three days before it went into effect, and two days before it went into effect.CDOT also has more information available on its website here. The start of 2025 signaled the start of several other new rules of the road too. You can learn about those here or our report below. New year, new driving laws: Why experts say Colorado drivers will be safer on the road in 2025