OHIO (WTRF) – Distracted driving is not just dangerous, it can be deadly.

In Ohio, from 2018 to 2022, 226 people died in distracted driving crashes.

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness month. At the Ohio State Highway Patrol, they say the best known distractions are texting, eating, putting on makeup and dealing with your children.

But there are some others that might surprise you. Blasting loud music or being emotionally distraught are also forbidden distractions. And now Ohio drivers have a brand new law to learn before it goes into effect April 4th.

“Primarily you’ll want to keep this out of your hands completely. Any time the phone is supported by you and not the vehicle, whether it’s in front of your face and not the vehicle, whether it’s in front of your face or you’re on speakerphone or you’re attempting to type something on the phone, it’s completely illegal. The only exception to that is if you’re actively taking a call and it’s up to your ear. That’s the only exception.”

Sgt. Rocky Hise, Ohio State Highway Patrol

Yes, you heard right. You can answer your phone and hold it up to your ear and talk while driving. But for everything else, the phone must be mounted to the car and not in your hands.

The new law goes into effect on Tuesday, but there’s a six-month grace period to get used to it, before they’ll give out citations.

Sgt. Hise says in this digitally-connected world, the driver should be connected to only one thing, driving the vehicle.