Drivers Continue to Use Cellphones while Driving, Here are the List of States Which Ban the Use Plus Hand-held Electronic Device

Drivers have become increasingly aware of the dangers involved in distracted driving, largely thanks to the fact that most states have strict laws banning cell phone use, which is the most common driving distraction.

Harsh Laws Coming to Penalize Texting & Driving?

These laws call for harsh punishments for drivers who are caught talking or texting while behind the wheel, which should deter them from doing it, and avoid all other types of distractions that cause accidents quite often.

But, according to a survey that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted recently, most drivers now know how dangerous it is to use an electronic device while operating a motor vehicle, but they continue to do it, nonetheless.

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Texting & Driving Cause Fatalities Yet Drivers Still Text & Drive

The NHTSA survey found that 660,000 drivers use cell phones or some other electronic devices while behind the wheel, which is a highly alarming number, that has been practically the same for the last couple of years.

With this fact in mind, it’s no surprise that there are thousands of car accidents caused by distracted driving that result in serious injury or death. According to the NHTSA, more than 3,300 people were killed in 2011 in crashes caused by some sort of driving distraction.

Some Drivers Support Cell Phone Ban

However, there is one finding from this survey that is quite surprising. It’s the fact that 74 percent of drivers who were polled said that they support hand-held cell phone use bans, and 94 percent of them are in favor of text messaging bans, and they think that the average fine for these offenses should be at least $200.

This is very odd, if you take into consideration that almost 50 percent of American drivers admit to answering phone calls while driving, and almost a quarter of them admit to making phone calls while driving.

Most Drivers Know Distracted Driving is Risky

Another interesting fact this survey has provided is that most drivers feel that distracted driving is risky when other drivers do it, but they are not aware that certain distractions affect their own driving, as well.

That’s why NHTSA Administrator David Strickland has said that he “urges all motorists to use common sense and keep their attention focused solely on the task of safe driving.”

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List of States Which Ban Texting & Driving

Currently, there are text messaging bans in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands, while 10 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands ban all drivers from using hand-held cell phones.

State	Penalty	Ban
Alabama	$25 fine	All drivers
Alaska	$10,000 fine and one year in prison	All drivers
Arizona		No ban
Arkansas	$100 fine and 10 days in prison	All drivers
California	$20 fine	All drivers
Colorado	$50 fine	All drivers
Connecticut	$100 fine	All drivers
Delaware	$50 fine	All drivers
District of Columbia	$100 fine	All drivers
Florida		No ban
Georgia	$150 fine	All drivers
Hawaii		No ban
Idaho	$81.50	All drivers
Illinois	$75 fine	All drivers
Indiana	$35.50 fine	All drivers
Iowa	$30 fine	All drivers
Kansas	$60 fine	All drivers
Kentucky	$25 fine plus surcharge fees	All drivers
Louisiana	$175 fine	All drivers
Maine	$250-500 fine	All drivers
Maryland	$500 fine	All drivers
Massachusetts	$100 fine	All drivers
Michigan	$100 fine	All drivers
Minnesota	$135 fine	All drivers
Mississippi	$500 fine	School bus drivers, learner's permit and provisional license holders.
Missouri	$20.50 fine	Drivers younger than 21
Montana		No ban
Nebraska	$200 fine	All drivers
Nevada	$50 fine	All drivers
New Hampshire	$100 fine	All drivers
New Jersey	$100 fine	All drivers
New Mexico		Drivers younger than 18 or with learner / provisional license
New York	$235 fine	All drivers
North Carolina	$100 fine plus surcharge fees	All drivers
North Dakota	$100 fine	All drivers
Ohio	$150 fine	All drivers
Oklahoma	$100 fine	Learner's permit or intermediate license holders.
Oregon	$250 fine	All drivers
Pennsylvania	$50 fine	All drivers
Rhode Island	$85 fine	All drivers
South Carolina		No ban
South Dakota		Learner's permit or intermediate license holders
Tennessee	$50 fine	All drivers
Texas		Drivers younger than 18
Utah	$750 fine plus 90 days in prison	All drivers
Vermont	$156 fine	All drivers
Virginia	$20 fine	All drivers
Washington	$124 fine	All drivers
West Virginia	$100 fine	All drivers
Wisconsin	$20-$400 fine	All drivers
Wyoming	$75 fine	All drivers

However, these states allow drivers to use hands-free cell phones, by using a Bluetooth headset or some sort of voice activated system.

Although these laws have been in place for a while now, state authorities have stepped up their enforcement only recently, putting more distracted driving patrols on highways, and urging police officers to be more vigilant of drivers who use their cell phones or do some other activities that cause driving distractions.

List of States which Ban Use of Hand-held Cell or Electronic Device

Currently there are 11 states which ban the use of an electronic device:

State	Ban Hand - held Electronic Devices	Ban on Text Msg*	Young Driver Ban on Texting**
Alabama		✔	✔
Alaska		✔	✔
Arizona
Arkansas		✔	✔
California	✔	✔	✔
Colorado		✔	✔
Connecticut	✔	✔	✔
Delaware	✔	✔	✔
D.C.	✔	✔	✔
Florida		✔	✔
Georgia		✔	✔
Hawaii
Idaho		✔
Illinois		✔	✔
Indiana		✔	✔
Iowa		✔	✔
Kansas		✔	✔
Kentucky		✔	✔
Louisiana		✔	✔
Maine		✔	✔
Maryland	✔	✔	✔
Massachusetts		✔	✔
Michigan		✔	✔
Minnesota		✔	✔
Mississippi		✔
Missouri		✔
Montana
Nebraska		✔	✔
Nevada	✔	✔	✔
New Hampshire		✔	✔
New Jersey	✔	✔	✔
New Mexico			✔
New York	✔	✔	✔
North Carolina		✔	✔
North Dakota		✔	✔
Ohio		✔	✔
Oklahoma			✔
Oregon	✔	✔	✔
Pennsylvania		✔	✔
Rhode Island		✔	✔
South Carolina
South Dakota			✔
Tennessee		✔	✔
Texas		✔	✔
Utah		✔	✔
Vermont		✔	✔
Virginia		✔	✔
Washington	✔	✔	✔
West Virginia	✔	✔	✔
Wisconsin		✔	✔
Wyoming		✔	✔

*All but 4 states ban texting and driving. 2 of the states, Texas and Missouri, ban the use by novice drivers.

**Typically any driver under the age of 18 is considered a young or “novice” driver. In Missouri it is 21 and Arkansas it is a driver 20 Y/0 or younger. Be sure to check your local laws and jurisdiction.

List of Top Apps to Help Stop Texting and Driving

Apps to Help Curb Texting & Driving

Rank	App to Prevent Texting and Driving	iOS / Android*
1	DriveOFF	Y / Y
2	DriveMode	Y / Y
3	TextBuster	N / Y
4	DriveScribe	Y / Y
5	Canary	Y / Y
6	Cellcontrol	Y / Y
7	Drive Safe Mode	Y / Y
8	Live2Txt	N / Y

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Conclusion

With all this in mind, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urges drivers to avoid texting and talking on a cell phone while driving at any cost, except in case of emergency.

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