Is the use of cell phones while driving banned in your state?

A lot of countries around the world have already banned the use of cell phones while driving (unless used with some form of hands-free kit).  For a list of such countries, see here.

Before traveling to other states or countries, you should educate yourself in the cell phone usage laws there since fines can be harsh, ranging from fees of tens of dollars to imprisonment.

In the United States there are six states as of July 2008 that have laws banning the use of hand-held cellphones while driving – Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Utah, California and Washington – along with the District of Columbia.  Except for Washington and Utah, the laws are all ‘primary enforcement,’ meaning a motorist may be ticketed just for holding a cell phone to their ear without any other traffic violation taking place.  In Washington and Utah, the laws are ’secondary enforcement,’ meaning officers have to see you doing something else – like changing lanes without signaling – before they can pull you over.

Even fewer states have bans on text messaging while driving (Alaska, Minnesota, New Jersey and Washington).  Although in Washington it’s a ’secondary enforcement’ like using a hand-held cell phone. For more details regarding state by state cell phone laws, see here.

If you really cannot part with your cell phone when behind the wheel, you should invest in a hands-free solution; however, some studies have indicted that using a hands-free solution is no safer than talking with a cell phone next to your ear.  Talking on the phone while driving is distracting regardless.