The 16 states are: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia. Another five states — Alabama, Louisiana, Maine, Oklahoma, and Virginia — have a hand-held ban on novice drivers or for drivers of state vehicles.
- Arizona.
- California.
- Connecticut.
- Delaware.
- District of Columbia.
- Georgia.
- Hawaii.
- Idaho.
What states have hands-free laws for drivers?
Young drivers: Alabama and Arkansas have hands-free laws that apply to teen drivers. Public transit workers: Michigan, Nebraska, and Oklahoma have laws that ban individuals who work public transit jobs, such as bus drivers, from using handheld devices behind the wheel.
Are hands free phone laws different in different states?
Just remember that hands free phone laws can change at any time so make sure check with your local and state agencies often. Your state, including all U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, establishes and maintains laws regarding driving. What is legal in one state may be illegal in another state.
Do you have to use hands-free devices while driving?
Simultaneously, all drivers need to use hands-free devices while driving. Drivers with a learner’s permit can’t use a cell phone while driving. Hands-free devices are required while using a phone while driving. Drivers with a learner’s permit can’t use a cell phone while operating a car.
Which states are the most free states?
The most educationally free states are: Florida, Arizona, Indiana, Georgia, and Louisiana. The states most free from regulation are: Iowa, Georgia, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Vermont. The states most free in health-care choice are: Idaho, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, and Indiana.
Are all 50 states hands-free?
NCSL's Power BI Distracted Driving charts provide a detailed overview of current laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia: Hand-held cellphone use ban: 24 states, D.C., Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using hand-held cellphones while driving.
Which states have legislation to restrict drivers use of hands-free devices while driving?
However, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia (plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin ...
Is Florida hands-free?
Florida's texting and driving law states that drivers can make phone calls, check weather or traffic alerts, and even use phones for navigation unless driving through a school or construction zone. These are considered “hands-free” spaces where any phone activity while driving is illegal.
Is Texas hands-free State?
Texting while driving is illegal everywhere in Texas, and some cities ban all cellphone use while driving. But using your cellphone while driving is always dangerous because it's distracted driving. You cannot send or receive electronic messages while driving in Texas.
Is talking on Bluetooth while driving illegal?
Talking on the phone while driving has been illegal in India for many years now. However, since the official rule does not state anything about Bluetooth or handsfree devices, most motorists use that while driving to talk on the phone.
Is Alabama hands-free?
Alabama Teens Can't Use Handheld Devices While Driving Alabama law limits the use of electronic handheld devices in motor vehicles. Teen drivers under 18 cannot use any mobile electronic device while driving.
Is New York a hands-free state?
New York's statewide distracted driving law currently states: All drivers must use hands-free devices when talking on cell phones. Text messaging, game playing, and similar usage of handheld electronic devices is prohibited for all drivers. Viewing, taking, or transmitting images is prohibited for all drivers.
Is North Carolina hands-free?
The 2019 Hands Free NC Act made it illegal to hold a phone only if it results in careless or reckless driving. Essentially, under this law in North Carolina, you are only given a traffic citation ticket for using your cellphone if you cause an accident, run a stop sign, or engage in some form of reckless behavior.
Is Georgia a hands-free state?
House Bill 673 also known as the “Hands Free Law” was passed by the Georgia General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal. The Hands Free Law will take effect on July 1, 2018.
Can you still use hands-free phones while driving?
The Government has announced it will be illegal to use a hand-held device under virtually any circumstance while driving, but hands-free calls will still be permitted and the potential risks around distracted driving from infotainment systems remains unresolved.
Is South Carolina a hands-free state?
The South Carolina Senate has given key approval to a bill banning anyone from holding a cellphone while driving. Feb. 23, 2022, at 4:20 p.m. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina Senate gave key approval Wednesday to a bill banning anyone from holding a cellphone while driving.
Can you talk on your cell phone in Texas?
Originally passed in 2017, the current state law in Texas does not prohibit drivers from talking on their cell phones. However, there are state-wide rules for cell phone usage behind the wheel, including the following: New drivers cannot use any handheld device in any way.
What states have hands free driving laws?
Since coming on the scene nearly 40 years ago, mobile technology has been making it easier to communicate with one another. From digital pagers to flip phones to the smartphone technology of today, we can stay in touch with friends, family, and coworkers in several different ways.
Questions, Correlations, and Consequences
In 2018, noted roadside assistance company AAA released a study that stated cellphone use increased the risk of traffic accidents by up to 8 times.
Which states have hands free phone laws?
Most states have put hands free phone laws in place to encourage drivers to keep their mind on the road. Recently Georgia and Rhode Island are the newest states to put hands free phone laws on the books in 2018.
How old do you have to be to drive a car with a cell phone?
and most territories ban novice drivers from using cell phones when operating vehicles. Novice drivers are usually considered those under a certain age, such as 18, and may cover those with a learner’s permit, an intermediate license or a provisional license, depending on the state.
Is it legal to drive with hands free phone?
territories and the District of Columbia, establishes and maintains laws regarding driving. What is legal in one state may be illegal in another state. It’s the responsibility of motorists to ensure that they obey the law no matter where they are driving.
Can you use a cell phone while driving?
No state currently has an outright ban on hands-free cell phone usage while driving. That means if you can connect your device with the Bluetooth technology installed in your car, you can talk with a headset — typically one covering only one ear. There are also exceptions to this law in some areas. For instance, in New York City taxicab drivers ...
How many people use cell phones while driving?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 2.9% of drivers are using cell phones while driving. This means that even if you aren’t using your cell phone, you need to be aware of drivers near you increasing your risk of being in an accident.
Is it illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving?
Image via IIHS.org. Talking on or using a hand-held cell phone while driving is illegal or will soon be illegal in the following US states and the District of Columbia. Arizona. California. Connecticut. Delaware. Washington DC. Georgia. Hawaii.
What states have cell phone bans?
Several states (Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma) have prohibited localities from enacting their own laws regarding cell phone use.
How many states have banned cell phones?
Thirty-six states and Washington, D.C. ban all cell phone use by newer drivers, while 19 states and Washington, D.C., prohibit any cell phone use by school bus drivers if children are present.
What is the primary enforcement of cell phone laws?
Regulatory laws. The laws regulating driving (or distracted driving) may be subject to primary enforcement or secondary enforcement by state, county or local authorities. All State-level cell phone use laws in the United States are of the primary enforcement type—meaning an officer may cite a driver for using a hand-held cell phone without any ...
When will Michigan allow cell phone use?
Until February 2020, handheld cell phone use was allowed as long as one hand was on the wheel at all times. Since February 2020, law allows one tap to activate voice communication, and use of navigational touch screens are allowed if mounted on windshield or dashboard. Michigan.
How much did the MAP-21 grant help?
A federal transportation funding law passed in July 2012, known as the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), provided $17.5 million in grants during fiscal year 2013 for states with primary enforcement laws against distracted driving, including laws prohibiting cell phone use while driving.
Can a police officer stop a driver for cell phone use?
In the case of secondary enforcement, a police officer may only stop or cite a driver for a cell phone use violation if the driver has committed another primary violation (such as speeding, failure to stop, etc.) at the same time.
Is texting a driver under 18 illegal?
under 18 (primary violation) all (effective January 1, 2021) under 18 (secondary violation) all (effective January 1, 2020) totally prohibited. totally prohibited. Use of phone to talk is allowed, but text or email by the driver while vehicle is operational on state roads is prohibited.
How long can you use a cellphone on a driver's license?
All drivers, irrespective of age, issued a first driver’s license are prohibited from using a cellphone for one year. The cellphone ban is secondary for novice drivers ages 18 and older. ↩. Footnote.
Can you hold a personal electronic device in your hand?
Footnote. 10 In Washington, drivers may not hold a personal electronic device in either hand or both hands while operating a motor vehicle on a public highway, including while temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic control device, or other momentary delays, effective July 23, 2017. ↩.
Is Georgia HB 673 a handheld ban?
Georgia HB 673 (2017) created a handheld ban for all drivers, effective July 1, 2018. The current law does not prohibit young drivers from using of earpieces, headphone devices or devices worn on the wrist to conduct voice based communication . Voice based commands are not prohibited.
Can you drive while holding a phone in California?
2 In California, persons are prohibited from driving a motor vehicle while holding and operating a phone or electronic communication device. Drivers who are 18 and older may dictate, send or listen to text-based messages if they're using voice-activated, hands-free devices. ↩. Footnote.
Can you drive with a cellphone in Louisiana?
5 In Louisiana, all learner's permit holders, irrespective of age, and all intermediate license holders are prohibited from driving while using a hand-held cellphone. All drivers younger than 18 are prohibited from using any cellphone.
Which states are free?
The most free states in order from most free to 5 th most free are: Florida, Arizona, Indiana, South Dakota, and Georgia. The least free states in order from worst to 5 th worse are: New York, New Jersey, California, West Virginia, and Kentucky. The most fiscally free states are: South Dakota, Wyoming, Nevada, Texas, and Florida.
Which states have no state sales tax?
This list is completely off. Anywhere that taxes your income and imposes a general sales tax is not the economically free. New Hampshire has no state sales tax or income tax. New Hampshire has more civil liberties than Florida, so it’s missing a critical component. In terms of regulatory freedoms, New Hampshire needs work but people are diligently fighting the good fight such as the NH Liberty Alliance that screens all proposed legislation and rates its politicians and laws as being anti-liberty or pro-liberty (regardless of party).
