Last year, 106 people were killed in distracted driving crashes in Missouri and voters have had enough. Driving while using a handheld electronic communication device is now against the law for all drivers in Missouri.

Distracted driving is a leading cause of crashes in Missouri period from 2013 to 2022, there were nearly 200,000 distracted driving related crashes resulting in at least 800 fatalities. According to AT&T, nearly nine in 10 people engage in smartphone activities while driving.

Under the new law, drivers are prohibited from physically holding a cell phone, manually sending or receiving text-based messages, recording or sending video calls or social media posts, and watching a video or movie while driving.

After passing a hands-free law 15 states experienced an average decrease in fatality rates of 15.3% and six states and the District of Columbia experienced a decrease of more than 20%.

The penalty for the first offense is a $150 fine, which goes up to $500 if it's in a school or construction zone.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.