In 2010 there are many States that have new distracted driving bills on their agenda. For a listing of 2009 / 2010 new cell phone, text messaging and hands free laws, please see our 2009-2010 New Driving Laws Page.

Hands Free Device Information

What is a Hands Free Device? For information regarding Hands Free Cell Phones, Bluetooth Headsets or if you are interested in Becoming Hands Free, please visit the appropriate links highlighted in blue.

This section of the DrivingLaws.org website deals specifically with Cell Phone, Text Messaging and Hands Free Laws in the United States. Just click on your State of Interest in the far left-hand column.

Please keep in mind that laws are always changing and we do our best to stay up to date on the current and pending legislation in each state.

If you do find that we have made a mistake or failed to include information in your state, please feel free to email sthomas@drivinglaws.org for any updates, corrections or potential legal misinterpretations.

Text Messaging Laws

For the most part text messaging laws are straight-forward, "Text Messaging is not Allowed While Driving", although the legislation tends to be much more wordy than that. Currently 19 States have a text messaging law, the following states are included;

Alaska, Arkansas, California , Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia

Current Cell Phone Law Information

Cell Phone laws can be confusing, mostly because their not really "Cell Phone" laws anymore, their more like an "Electronic Hand Held Device" laws, or insert name of latest distracting gadget here laws. I will refer to them Cell Phone laws in my text for simplicity's sake.

Cell Phone Laws

A simple example of a cell phone law exists in many states and is often intended for the novice driver. The law basically states that you are not allowed to talk on a cell phone while you are driving. With every cell phone law there are exceptions for emergency situations. Some states differentiate between primary and secondary enforcement laws.

A Primary Enforcement Cell Phone Law - You may be pulled over and ticketed if an officer of the law sees you using a cell phone while you are driving.

A Secondary Enforcement Cell Phone Law - You may be pulled over and ticketed only if you are observed violating another primary law such as speeding or running a stop sign.

You may also refer to these laws as a "Hand Held Ban", which may or may-not make allowances for hands free devices and often depends on your age.

The following States have a Hand Held Ban - California, Connecticut, DC, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington.

Hands Free Cell Phone Laws

In my first example of a simple cell phone law, you could not use a cell phone under any circumstance.

In States, such as California or Washington you may use a cell phone while you are driving if you have a Hands Free Device. Again, this may only be the case if you are a certain age or maintain full driver license privileges.