Distracted Driving and Electronic Communication Devices — Missouri Driver's License Practice Test

This section explains distracted driving and Missouri's rules for electronic communication devices. A distraction is anything that keeps you from operating your vehicle safely — texting, phone use, eating or drinking, grooming, adjusting the radio, or even looking at a crash scene — and text messaging is the highest-risk distraction because it demands your eyes, hands, and mind all at once.

It is against the law for any person to read, write, or send a text or electronic message while operating a vehicle, and it is against the law to use an electronic communication device on any highway or property open to public traffic. While the vehicle is in motion you may not hold or support a phone with any part of your body, manually type or read text messages, or record, watch, or broadcast video, including video calls and social media posts.

The law does allow hands-free use: placing or receiving voice calls with voice-operated or hands-free functions engaged with a single touch or swipe, talking through a built-in speaker, Bluetooth, or an earbud or headset, using voice-to-text, and using GPS navigation, music or podcasts, or viewing a map. Before January 1, 2025 a violation could be a warning, but after that date it may be an infraction, and commercial drivers may be subject to disqualification under 304.822 RSMo.