What States Consider Cell Phone Use a Minor Moving Violation?

With new reports coming out every year about how often cell phones cause accidents, many states have created laws restricting the use of cell phones while driving. The different laws range from banning all cell phone use to banning only hand-held cell phones or text messaging. With all 50 states creating their own legislation it can be incredibly difficult to keep up with all of these new laws. Unfortunately, this can be a real problem if you frequently travel throughout the country. Read on to learn about which states have laws restricting the use of cell phones while driving.

• Alabama - All activity on cell phones banned for 16 and 17 year olds.
• Alaska - Text messaging banned for all drivers
• Arizona - All cell phone use banned for school bus drivers
• Arkansas - Hand-held cell phone use banned for 18-20 year olds. All cell phone use banned for school bus drivers and drivers younger than 18. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• California - Hand-held cell phone use banned for all drivers. All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 18 and bus drivers. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Colorado - All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 18 and school bus drivers. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Connecticut - Hand-held cell phone use banned for all drivers. All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 18 and school bus drivers. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Delaware - Hand-held cell phone use will be banned for all drivers effective 01/02/11. All cell phone use banned for school bus drivers. Text messaging will be banned effective 01/02/11.
• District of Columbia - Hand-held cell phone use banned for all drivers. All cell phone use banned for drivers with a learner’s permit and school bus drivers. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Florida - There are no cell phone restrictions in Florida.
• Georgia - All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 18 and school bus drivers. Text Messaging banned for all drivers.
• Hawaii - There are no cell phone restrictions in Hawaii.
• Idaho - There are no cell phone restrictions in Idaho.
• Illinois - Hand held cell phone use banned for drivers in construction and school speed zones. All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 19, learner’s permit holders younger than 19 and school bus drivers. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Indiana - All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 18. Text messaging banned for all drivers younger than 18.
• Iowa - All cell phone use banned for learner’s permit and intermediate license holders. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Kansas - All cell phone use banned for learner’s permit and intermediate license holders. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Kentucky - All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 18 and school bus drivers. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Louisiana - Hand-held cell phone use banned for learner’s permit holders and intermediate license holders. All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 18 and school bus drivers. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Maine - All cell phone use banned for learner’s permit and intermediate license holders.
• Maryland - Hand-held cell phone use will be banned for all drivers effective 10/01/10. All cell phone use will be banned for bus drivers, learner’s permit and provisional license holders younger than 18 effective 10/01/10. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Massachusetts All cell phone use will be banned for drivers younger than 18 and bus drivers effective 09/30/10. Text messaging will be banned for all drivers effective 09/30/10.
• Michigan Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Minnesota - All cell phone use banned for bus drivers, learner’s permit holders and provisional license holders during the first 12 months after licensing. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Mississippi - Text messaging banned for learner’s permit and intermediate license holders.
• Missouri - Text messaging banned for drivers 21 and younger.
• Montana - There are no cell phone restrictions in Montana.
• Nebraska - All cell phone use banned for learner’s permit and intermediate license holders younger than 18. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Nevada - There are no cell phone restrictions in Nevada.
• New Hampshire - Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• New Jersey - Hand-held cell phone use banned for all drivers. All cell phone use banned for school bus drivers, learner’s permit and intermediate license holders. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• New Mexico - There are no cell phone restrictions in New Mexico.
• New York - Hand-held cell phone use banned for all drivers. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• North Carolina - All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 18 and school bus drivers. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• North Dakota - There are no cell phone restrictions in North Dakota.
• Ohio - There are no cell phone restrictions in Ohio.
• Oklahoma - Hand-held cell phone use banned for learner’s permit and intermediate license holders effective 11/01/10. All cell phone use banned for bus drivers effective 11/01/10. Text messaging banned for learner’s permit holders, intermediate license holders and bus drivers effective 11/01/10.
• Oregon - Hand-held cell phone use banned for all drivers. All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 18. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Pennsylvania - There are no cell phone restrictions in Pennsylvania.
• Rhode Island - All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 18 and school bus drivers. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• South Carolina - There are no cell phone restrictions in South Carolina.
• South Dakota - There are no cell phone restrictions in South Dakota
• Tennessee - All cell phone use banned for school bus drivers, learner’s permit and intermediate license holders. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Texas - Hand-held cell phone use banned for drivers in school crossing zones. All cell phone use banned for intermediate license holders for the first twelve months and bus drivers when a passenger 17 or younger is present. Text messaging banned for bus drivers when a passenger 17 or younger is present; intermediate license holders for first twelve months and drivers in school crossing zones.
• Utah - Hand-held cell phone use banned for all drivers. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Vermont - All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 18. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Virginia - All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 18 and school bus drivers. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• Washington - Hand-held cell phone use banned for all drivers. All cell phone use banned for learner’s permit and intermediate license holders. Text messaging banned for all drivers.
• West Virginia - All cell phone use banned for drivers younger than 18 who hold either a learner’s permit or an intermediate license. Text messaging banned for drivers younger than 18 who hold either a learner’s permit or an intermediate license.
• Wisconsin - Text messaging banned for all drivers effective 12/01/10.
• Wyoming - Text messaging banned for all drivers.