As cellular phones join wallets and car keys as necessities when leaving the house, state law officials are developing laws to prevent a deadly epidemic in the Nation: using cellphones while driving.
Currently, more than half of the States ban cellphone usage for drivers in some capacity; most of which are bans against texting. However, only ten states ban the use of hand-held devices for all drivers, with many more providing additional laws. The following states have at least one ban on using cellphones to make calls while driving:
Alabama:
Most drivers are legally able to use their cellphones while driving in Alabama. Those who are not are 16-year olds and 17-year olds holding intermediate licenses for less than six months.
Arizona:
Cellphone usage is only banned for school bus drivers in Arizona and is a primary offense.
Arkansas:
The southern state of Arkansas does enforce a ban against hand-held devices for drivers, but only a certain age group. Drivers between the ages of 18-20 are prohibited from talking on a cellphone while driving. The law states it is a primary offense, meaning an officer can pull over the vehicle without any other reasoning. Further, hand-held cellphone use is a banned, secondary offense for anyone in school or highway construction zones.
California:
The most populated state in the country bans hand-held cellphone usage for everyone, making it a primary offense. However, drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using non-handheld devices as well, such as Bluetooth. This, however, is a secondary offense.
Colorado:
Drivers under the age of 18 are not allowed to use their cellphones while driving at all in the state of Colorado. This ban includes hands-free devices, as well.
Connecticut:
The use of hand-held devices in Connecticut is a primary offense for all drivers. However, only school bus drivers and drivers under the age of 18 are not allowed to talk on their cellphones even with hands-free devices. Those both are primary offenses.
Delaware:
While hand-held devices are banned for all drivers in Delaware (primary offense), only school bus drivers and drivers with a learner or intermediate license are prohibited from any and all cellphone use (primary offense).
D.C.:
The Nation’s Capital views the use of hand-held cellphone devices as a primary offense for all drivers. All cellphone use is a primary offense for both school bus drivers and drivers with learner’s permits.
Georgia:
While there is no law in Georgia against drivers using hand-held devices, both school bus drivers and drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using their cellphones, whether hands-free or hand-held. The offenses are both primary.
Hawaii:
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, “Hawaii does not have a state law banning the use of hand-held cellphones. However, all of the state’s counties have enacted distracted driving ordinances.”
Illinois:
The use of hand-held devices is only banned in school zones and highway construction zones in Illinois. Further, it is a primary offense for school bus drivers and drivers under the age of 19 to use their cellphone in any capacity.
Indiana:
There is no law in Indiana against the use of hand-held devices while driving. However, drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using their cellphone in any capacity. School bus drivers, however, are allowed to use their phones for phone calls: both hand-held and hands-free.
Iowa:
The cellphone laws for drivers in Iowa is somewhat similar to that of Indiana in that there is no law against the use of hand-held devices. School bus drivers are also able to use hand-held and hands-free calls. However, drivers with a restricted or an intermediate license are prohibited from using their cellphones when behind the wheel.
Kansas:
The law in Kansas is exactly the same as the law in Iowa: no law against hand-held devices, no law against school bus drivers making calls, and drivers with learner or intermediate licenses are prohibiting from using their devices.
Kentucky:
Even though there is not a ban on hand-held cellphone use for all drivers in Kentucky, school bus drivers and those under the age of 18 are not permitted to use their cellphones at all.
Louisiana:
Only a few drivers in Louisiana face a ban on cellphone use. A hand-held ban is in place for drivers holding a learner or intermediate license regardless of their age. Further, school bus drivers and those in the first year of their full license are banned from all cellphone use. The offense is primary for school bus drivers, but only primary for first-year license holders if they are under the age of 18.
Maine:
Despite distracted driving being against the law in Maine, there is only a ban for drivers under the age of 18. It is a primary offense.
Maryland:
One of the few states that has cellphone use as a secondary offense, Maryland has a ban on all drivers from using hand-held devices. Further, school bus drivers are able to use hands free devices while those under the age of 18 with a learners or a provisional license are not. In July 2013, these offenses will become primary.
Massachusetts:
Much like many of the states, Massachusetts only has a ban on cellphone use by school bus and young drivers. Cellphone use while driving is a primary offense for both school bus drivers and drivers under the age of 18.
Michigan:
One of the least strict states regarding cellphone usage by drivers is Michigan. With no ban against hand-held devices or devices used by school bus drivers, Michigan only enforces a reactionary law. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association website, “teens with probationary licenses whose cellphone usage contributes to a traffic crash or ticket may not use a cellphone while driving.”
Minnesota:
Only two groups in Minnesota are banned from using cellphones while driving: school bus drivers and teens under the age of 18 with a learner or provisional license. Both are primary offenses. There is not a hand-held law in Minnesota for other drivers.
Mississippi:
School bus drivers are the only ones facing bans on using cellphones while driving in Mississippi. All other drivers are legally able to use their hand-held and hands-free devices to make calls.
Nebraska:
Much like Mississippi, only one group in Nebraska is not allowed to make calls while they drive: teens under the age of 18 with a learners or intermediate license. It is, however, a secondary offense.
Nevada:
There is no ban in Nevada against hands-free devices for any driver. However, all drivers are prohibited from using hand-held devices.
New Jersey:
All drivers are banned from using hand-held devices in New Jersey. However, school bus drivers and drivers with a permit or provisional license are not allowed to use their cellphones in any capacity.
New Mexico:
Housing an interesting law, New Mexico bans the use of hand-held devices by in state vehicles only. Meaning, drivers with New Mexico license plates are subject to the law, while a driver with an Arizona plate is not. Further, New Mexico bans cell phone use by drivers with a learner or provisional license.
New York:
One of the worst states for traffic, New York bans the use of hand-held devices for all of its drivers. It is a primary offense. However, there is no hands-free ban on young or school bus drivers.
North Carolina:
Despite not having a universal ban on hand-held devices, school bus drivers and drivers under the age of 18 are not allowed to use their phones while driving in North Carolina.
North Dakota:
Similarly, North Dakota has no universal ban on hand-held devices, but drivers under the age of 18 are not permitted to use their cellphones while behind the wheel.
Ohio:
The law in Ohio is exactly the same as the law in North Dakota. Only drivers under the age of 18 are not permitted to use hand-held or hands-free devices.
Oklahoma:
Only drivers with learners or intermediate licenses are banned from using hand-held devices in Oklahoma. Further, school bus drivers are barred from using hand-held and hands-free devices while driving.
Oregon:
All drivers in the state of Oregon are banned from using hand-held devices while they drive. Drivers under the age of 18 are not permitted to use their phones in any capacity while behind the wheel.
Rhode Island:
The smallest state in the country does not have a universal ban on hand-held devices for drivers, but does enforce a ban on all cell phone use for school bus drivers and drivers under the age of 18. Both are primary offenses.
Tennessee:
Another state that does not have a universal ban on hand-held cell phone use is Tennessee. However, Tennessee does ban use of cell phones for school bus drivers and drivers with a learner or intermediate license. Both are primary offenses.
Texas:
As expected, Texas houses one of the more interesting laws regarding cellphone use for drivers. There is no universal ban for hand-held devices while driving. However, school bus drivers transporting children 17 or younger are not permitted to use their phones. Further, drivers with an intermediate license or within the first twelve months of their regular license are not allowed to use their phones, either. Both are primary offenses. And, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association, “Texas has banned the use of hand-held phones and texting in school zones.”
Utah:
While there is no law in Utah regarding talking on the phone while driving, there is an added footnote on the Governors Highway Safety Association website, saying, “Utah’s law defines careless driving as committing a moving violation (other than speeding) while distracted by use of a hand-held cellphone or other activities not related to driving.”
Vermont:
Less complicated than the past two states, Vermont only bans cellphone use by teen drivers under the age of 18. It is a primary offense.
Virginia:
With no universal ban on hand-held devices while driving, Virginia does indeed ban cell phone use by school bus drivers and drivers under the age of 18. The offense is primary for school bus drivers, but is secondary for the novice drivers.
Washington:
Even though there is a universal ban on the use of hand-held devices while driving in Washington, school bus drivers face no ban on hands-free devices. Drivers with a learner or intermediate license are, however, prohibited from all cell phone use. Both bans are primary offenses.
West Virginia:
The use of hand-held devices by drivers in West Virginia is a secondary offense until July 2013. Drivers under the age of 18 with learner or intermediate license are not allowed to use their phones at all. That is a primary offense.
Wisconsin:
There is a ban, effective November 2012, on cell phone use for drivers with learner or intermediate licenses in the state of Wisconsin. It is a primary offense. There is no other bans regarding talking on a phone.
States that currently do not have a law against talking on the phone while driving are Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Some of these states however, do give officers the ability to list cellphone use under the contributing factors to an accident.