STATE LAWS
The first Digest of Distracted Driving Laws provides an in-depth report of the distracted driving laws in all 50 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico as of June 2012. It also provides a summary chart of the key provisions of State laws. The Digest is updated once per year due to the extensive research required, however States continue to enact laws throughout the year. For the most current information on State laws, please refer to the map below.
Click on an individual state or territory to learn more on its specific laws.
41 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam ban text messaging for all drivers. Twelve of these laws were enacted in 2010 alone.
11 states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving.
Note:
A primary law means that an officer can ticket the driver for the offense without any other traffic violation taking place. A secondary law means an officer can only issue a ticket if a driver has been pulled over for another violation (like speeding).