1-6 State Laws on Distracted Driving: Bans on Hand-Held Devices and Texting While Driving as of October 2010
1-6 State Laws on Distracted Driving: Bans on Hand-Held Devices and Texting While Driving as of October 2010
| State | Ban on handheld devices | Texting ban |
|---|---|---|
| AL | ||
| AK | √ | |
| AZ | ||
| AR | √ | |
| CA | √ | √ |
| CO | √ | |
| CT | √ | √ |
| DE | √ | √ |
| DC | √ | √ |
| FL | ||
| GA | √ | |
| HI | ||
| ID | ||
| IL | √ | |
| IN | ||
| IA | √ | |
| KS | √ | |
| KY | √ | |
| LA | √ | |
| ME | ||
| MD | √ | √ |
| MA | √ | |
| MI | √ | |
| MN | √ | |
| MS | ||
| MO | ||
| MT | ||
| NE | √ | |
| NV | ||
| NH | √ | |
| NJ | √ | √ |
| NM | ||
| NY | √ | √ |
| NC | √ | |
| ND | ||
| OH | ||
| OK | ||
| OR | √ | √ |
| PA | ||
| RI | √ | |
| SC | ||
| SD | ||
| TN | √ | |
| TX | ||
| UT | √ | |
| VT | √ | |
| VA | √ | |
| WA | √ | √ |
| WV | ||
| WI | √ | |
| WY | √ | |
| PR | ||
| U.S., total | 9 | 31 |
Notes: While nine States have universal bans on hand-held devices and texting, many other States have partial bans on either or both that restrict use for novice drivers or bus drivers. Delaware's laws were passed in 2010 but not enforced until Jan. 2, 2011. In Iowa and Virginia, secondary enforcement is applied to texting while driving. In Maryland, secondary enforcement is applied to using hand-held devices while driving. The term "secondary enforcement" means that motorists must be stopped for another violation before they can be cited for texting or using a cell phone.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, State Laws on Distracted Driving, available at http://www.distraction.gov/state-laws/ as of Oct. 27, 2010.