Do You Know Your State’s Distracted Driving Laws?

You already know that distracted driving is both foolish and dangerous, but did you know every state has a different set of laws that you could be breaking?

Check out this list of distracted driving laws.

*Please remember distracted driving laws are subject to change, and if you have specific questions about your state’s distracted driving laws, it’s a good idea to check the most current version of your state driver’s handbook.

Distracted Driving Laws By State:

ALABAMA

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for novice drivers.
Texting and internet use is illegal for all drivers.

ALASKA

Texting is illegal for all drivers.

ARIZONA

For all drivers, texting while driving is prohibited.
For all drivers, handheld use of a cellphone is prohibited.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for school bus drivers.
Coconino County prohibits all cell phone use while driving.

ARKANSAS

There is a handheld and hands-free device ban for drivers age 18 and younger.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers.
Drivers may not use any handheld or hands-free device while driving through a school zone or road work zone when students or workers are present.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.
Handheld device use is illegal for all drivers.

CALIFORNIA

There is a handheld ban for all drivers.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers.
Use of any kind of device is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

COLORADO

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers with a learners permit only.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

CONNECTICUT

There is a handheld ban for all drivers.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

DELAWARE

There is a handheld ban for all drivers.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers who hold either a learners permit or intermediate license.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

FLORIDA

Texting is illegal for all drivers.
Handheld device use is prohibited in school zones, school crosswalks, and work zones when workers are present.

GEORGIA

Texting is illegal for all drivers.
Handheld phone use is prohibited for all drivers.
Cell phone use is completely prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18 who hold either an instruction permit or Class D license.
Cell phone use is completely prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers.

HAWAII

There is a handheld ban for all drivers.
Handheld devices may not be used while stopped at an intersection or traffic light.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

IDAHO

Texting is banned for all drivers.
A bill passed in 2020 makes a handheld device use illegal for all drivers.
Idaho has a “Distraction in/on Vehicle (List)” attribute as part of its Contributing Circumstances element, and officers are supposed to list the distractions in the narrative.

ILLINOIS

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 19 who hold a learner’s permit or intermediate license.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.
It is illegal to use a cell phone while driving in a school zone or in a highway construction zone.
There is a handheld ban for all drivers.

INDIANA

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18 who hold a probationary license.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.
As of July 1, 2020, there is a handheld ban for all drivers.

IOWA

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18 who hold a restricted license, instruction permit, or intermediate drivers license.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

KANSAS

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for all drivers who hold an instruction permit or restricted Class C and Class M licenses.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

KENTUCKY

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

LOUISIANA

There is a handheld ban for all drivers under the age of 16, and drivers with a learner’s permit or intermediate license regardless of age.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.
All phone operation is prohibited in school zones during designated hours.

MAINE

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for all drivers.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

MARYLAND

There is a handheld ban for all drivers.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for all drivers under the age of 18.
Texting is illegal at all times for all drivers.

MASSACHUSETTS

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.
As of February 23, 2020, the entire state is hands-free meaning no handheld device can be used while driving.

MICHIGAN

Texting is illegal for all drivers.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers who hold a level I or level II license.

MINNESOTA

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers who hold a learner’s permit or provisional license.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

MISSISSIPPI

Texting is illegal for drivers who hold a learner’s permit, intermediate license, or temporary driving permit.
Using social media on a mobile device is prohibited for all drivers.
The use of a cell phone while transporting minors is illegal for school bus drivers.

MISSOURI

Texting is illegal for drivers under the age of 21.
In Chesterfield, Kansas City, Kirkwood, Lake St. Louis, Manchester, and St. Charles, texting while driving is illegal for all drivers.

MONTANA

Text messaging while driving is prohibited in Missoula. In Billings, Butte, Bozeman, Columbia Falls, Great Falls, Havre, Helena and Whitefish, Montana, text messaging and using hand-held cell phones while driving is prohibited.
In Baker and Hamilton, all handheld cell phone use while driving is prohibited.
In Anaconda-Deer Lodge and Butte-Silver Bow Counties, all handheld cell phone use while driving is prohibited.
On Fort Peck Reservation all handheld cell phone use while driving is prohibited.

NEBRASKA

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18 who hold either a learners permit or provisional license. This includes the LPE, SCP, LPD and POP licenses.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

NEVADA

There is a handheld ban for all drivers.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Texting is illegal for all drivers.
Effective July 2015, handheld cell phone use is prohibited for all drivers
All wireless device (handheld and hands-free) use is prohibited for all drivers under age 18.

NEW JERSEY

There is a handheld ban for all drivers.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers except in the event of an emergency.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers who hold a learners permit, special examination permit, or probationary license.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

NEW MEXICO

Texting is illegal for all drivers.
There is a handheld ban for all drivers.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers who hold an instruction or provisional license.

NEW YORK

There is a handheld ban for all drivers.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

NORTH CAROLINA

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18 as well as any driver who holds a learners permit or a provisional license.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

NORTH DAKOTA

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for all drivers under the age of 18.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

OHIO

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18 who hold an instruction permit and drivers who hold a probationary license.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.
There is a handheld device ban for all drivers.

OKLAHOMA

There is a handheld ban for drivers with a learner’s permit or intermediate license.
Texting while driving is illegal for all drivers.
Public transit drivers and commercial drivers are prohibited from using a cell phone (handheld and hands-free).

OREGON

All drivers may only use a hands-free cell phone.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

PENNSYLVANIA

Texting is illegal for all drivers.

RHODE ISLAND

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for all drivers under the age of 18.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers, except in the event of an emergency.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.
There is a handheld ban for all drivers.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Texting while driving is illegal for all drivers.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers with either an instruction permit or intermediate license.
Texting while driving is prohibited for all drivers.

TENNESSEE

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers who hold either a learners permit or intermediate license.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers except in the event of an emergency.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.
All drivers are prohibited from using handheld devices while driving.

TEXAS

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers with a learner’s permit for the first six months.
Handheld cell phone use is prohibited for drivers under 18 years old.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers.
It is illegal to use handheld phones and text in school zones.
Texting while driving is prohibited for all drivers.
Some local governments have created stricter rules. Texting and handheld cell phone use while driving is prohibited in Amarillo, Austin, Corpus Christi, El Paso, San Antonio, and Stephenville.

UTAH

Texting is illegal for all drivers.
Utah’s law defines careless driving as committing a moving violation (other than speeding) while distracted by use of a handheld cell phone or other activities not related to driving.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18.

VERMONT

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18.
Handled device use is prohibited for all drivers.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

VIRGINIA

Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.
Using handheld devices in a work zone is illegal.

WASHINGTON

There is a handheld ban for all drivers.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers who hold either an instruction permit or intermediate license.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.

WEST VIRGINIA

There is a handheld ban for all drivers.
Texting is illegal for all drivers.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for instruction permit holders and intermediate license holders under the age of 18.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers.

WISCONSIN

Texting is illegal for all drivers.
Cell phone use is prohibited (handheld and hands-free) for drivers who hold a learner’s permit or intermediate license.
Cities have the right to enforce stricter laws. All drivers in Marshfield, Wausau, and Wisconsin Rapids are banned from using handheld cell phones.

WYOMING

Texting is illegal for all drivers.
It is illegal for commercial drivers to use any devices while driving (handheld and hands-free).
Drivers in Cheyenne, Powell, and Green River are banned from handheld cell phone use.