In what situation can a driver use their cell phone without facing penalties?

A driver can use their cell phone without facing penalties when they have safely pulled over to the side of the road. This means they are no longer in active traffic and have stopped in a location where it is safe to use the device. The key aspect here is that the vehicle is no longer in motion, thus reducing the risk of distractions that could compromise safety.

Using a cell phone while stopped at a red light may still be considered a form of distracted driving since the vehicle is technically still on the road and the driver is not fully focused on the responsibility of driving.

While using a valid hands-free device is legal in many situations, it still involves some level of distraction, and the driver must ensure that they are compliant with any specific laws regarding hands-free operation in their state.

The statement that there is never a legal situation to use a cell phone overlooks the fact that there are circumstances, such as safely pulling over, where it is permissible to use a cell phone without incurring penalties.