Hand-Held Ban?
No
All Cell Phone Ban?
School Bus Drivers
No
Novice Drivers
16, or 17 with Intermediate License for less than 6 months. Primary law.
Text Messaging Ban?
All drivers. Primary law.
This chart outlines state distracted driving laws. Some localities have additional regulations. Enforcement type is also noted.
Crash Data Collection: All states except 2 (Connecticut and New Hampshire) include at least one category for distraction on police crash report forms, although the specific data collected varies. The Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC) guideline provides best practices on distraction data collection.
Preemption Laws: Some states have preemption laws that prohibit local jurisdictions from enacting their own distracted driving bans. States with such laws include – but may not be limited to – Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Oregon and South Carolina.
A PDF chart of state distracted driving laws is available for download here.
NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on distracted driving laws other than what is presented here. For more information, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office.
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
No
No
16, or 17 with Intermediate License for less than 6 months. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
No
No
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law. (Warning period in effect through 01/01/2021)
Yes. Primary law.
Yes, for instruction and intermediate permit holders under 18. Secondary Law.
All drivers. Primary law.
School and work zones only. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers under 18. Secondary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers under 18. Secondary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
No
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers with learner or intermediate licence. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers with learner's permit. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
School and work zones only. Primary law. (eff. 10/1/19)
No
No
All drivers. Primary law. (eff. 10/1/19)
Yes. Primary Law.
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
No
No
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
No
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
No
No
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers under 19. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
No
Drivers under 21. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
No
Drivers with restricted or intermediate license. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
No
Drivers with learner or intermediate license. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Drivers with learner or intermediate license, regardless of age.
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers within first year of licensure. Primary law for drivers under 18.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
No
Drivers with learner or intermediate license. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
No
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers with Level 1 or Level 2 license. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law. (eff. 8/1/2019)
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers under 18 with learner or provisional licenses. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
Yes. Primary law.
No
All drivers. Primary law.
No
No
No
For drivers 21 and under. Primary law.
No bans on hand-held use, cell phone use, or text messaging for any drivers.
No
Yes
Drivers under 18 with learner or intermediate license. Secondary law.
All drivers. Secondary law.
Yes. Primary law.
No
No
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
No
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers with permit or provisional license. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
In State vehicles.
No
Drivers with learner or provisional license. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
No
No
All drivers. Primary law.
No
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
No
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
No
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Drivers with learner or intermediate license. Primary law.
No
No
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
No
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
No
No
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
No
No
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
No
No
All drivers. Primary law.
No
No
Drivers with learner or intermediate license. Secondary law.
All drivers. Secondary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers with learner or intermediate license. Primary law.
All drivers, while vehicle is in motion. Primary law.
No
Yes, when passengers are 17 and under. Primary law.
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
*Note: Texas has banned the use of hand-held phones in school zones.
No
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
No
Drivers under 18. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
No
No
All drivers. Primary law.
Work zones only. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers under 18. Secondary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
No
Drivers with learner or intermediate license. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
No
Drivers under 18 with learner or intermediate license. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No, except in work zones.
No
Drivers with learner or intermediate license. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
No
No
No
All drivers. Primary law.