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is it illegal to talk on the phone while driving in pennsylvania
Restrictions on cell phone use while driving in the United states - wikipedia Restrictions on cell phone use while driving in the United states Cell phone use is regulated by local ordinance during certain hours in Southside Place , Texas , in Greater Houston Various laws in the United States regulate the use of mobile phones and other electronics by motorists . Different states take different approaches . Some laws affect only novice drivers or commercial drivers , while some laws affect all drivers . Some laws target handheld devices only , while other laws affect both handheld and handsfree devices . Contents ( hide ) 1 Regulatory laws 2 Laws by state 3 Preemption Laws 4 Cost of distracted driving 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading Regulatory laws ( edit ) The laws regulating driving ( or distracted driving ) may be subject to primary enforcement or secondary enforcement by state , county or local authorities . All State - level cell phone use laws in the United States are of the primary enforcement type -- meaning an officer may cite a driver for using a hand - held cell phone without any other traffic offense having taken place -- except in some cases involving newer ( or `` novice '' ) , drivers . In the case of secondary enforcement , a police officer may only stop or cite a driver for a cell phone use violation if the driver has committed another primary violation ( such as speeding , failure to stop , etc . ) at the same time . Map of laws for cell - phone use and text messaging while driving A federal transportation funding law passed in July 2012 , known as the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act ( MAP - 21 ) , provided $17.5 million in grants during fiscal year 2013 for states with primary enforcement laws against distracted driving , including laws prohibiting cell phone use while driving . States with secondary enforcement laws or no laws at all are ineligible to receive this grant funding . Laws by state ( edit ) No state bans all cell phone use for all drivers . However , California , Connecticut , Delaware , Georgia , Hawaii , Illinois , Maryland , Nevada , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New Mexico , New York , Oregon , Vermont , Washington , West Virginia ( plus Washington , D.C. , Puerto Rico , Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands ) prohibit all drivers from using hand - held cell phones while driving . 36 states and Washington , D.C. ban all cell phone use by newer drivers , while 19 states and Washington , D.C. prohibit any cell phone use by school bus drivers if children are present . Table : Cell Phone Restrictions While Driving in the US and Territories State Total handheld device ban applied to : Any cell phone use by driver prohibited if : Bus driver use restriction ( s ) Texting & Internet Access Alabama 16 and under , and 17 w / temporary license or if licensed under six months ( primary violation ) texting prohibited ( primary ) Alaska totally prohibited No restrictions on cell phone use Arizona texting prohibited none Arkansas 18 -- 20 years old ( primary violation ) under 18 ( secondary violation ) totally prohibited texting prohibited ( primary ) Any cell phone use prohibited in school or construction zones ( secondary violation ) . California All ( primary violation ) under 18 ( secondary violation ) totally prohibited ( primary ) texting prohibited Colorado on learner 's permit or under 18 ( primary violation ) totally prohibited ( primary ) Connecticut All ( primary violation ) under 18 ( primary violation ) totally prohibited Delaware All ( primary violation ) on learner or intermediate license ( primary violation ) totally prohibited Florida Cell phone use allowed while operating a car as long as the sound goes through only one ear . Georgia All Drivers ( primary violation ) Under 18 ( primary violation ) Driver totally prohibited unless used for routing communication Driver totally prohibited , includes video Driver Allowed to use hands free devices ( specific ones ) and voice to text with hands free devices and allowed to use permanent mounted GPS , Drivers are allowed to make emergency calls and report hazardous road conditions . Commercial Vehicle Drivers have limited use directly related to their work ( GPS or Routing Communication ) effective date 1 July 2018 . Guam All ( primary violation ) Hawaii All ( primary violation ) under 18 ( primary violation ) totally prohibited Statewide law entered into force July 2013 ; all counties had existing bans on cell phone use . Drivers 18 and older may use hands - free devices . Idaho No statewide laws enacted ; authorities track `` distractions '' on accident reports . Illinois All ( primary violation ) any driver under 19 ( primary violation ) totally prohibited Any cell phone use prohibited in school or construction zones or within 500 feet of an emergency scene ( primary violation ) . Indiana under 21 ( primary violation ) Iowa on restricted or intermediate license ( primary violation ) totally prohibited ( primary ) July 1 , 2017 updated the texting law to be enforced as a primary reason an officer can stop you . `` Texting '' is defined as : texting , internet browsing , playing games , and reading social media applications . If proven you were `` texting '' during a traffic fatality , it is deemed a Class C felony , and you can be put into prison for up to 10 years . Kansas on learner or intermediate license ( primary violation ) Kentucky under 18 ( primary violation ) totally prohibited Louisiana learner or intermediate license holder ( regardless of age ) ( primary violation ) 1st year of license ( primary violation if under 18 ) totally prohibited Maine under 18 ( primary violation ) under 18 w / learner or provisional license ( secondary violation ) Maryland all ( primary violation ) under 18 w / restricted learner or intermediate license Massachusetts under 18 ( primary violation ) totally prohibited Cell phone use allowed as long as one hand is on the wheel at all times . Michigan level - 1 or level - 2 license ( primary violation ) Minnesota under 18 w / learner or provisional license ( primary violation ) totally prohibited Mississippi totally prohibited Missouri Montana None . Nebraska under 18 w / learner or intermediate license ( secondary violation ) Nevada all ( primary violation ) New Hampshire all ( primary violation ) totally prohibited # ( 1st Offense ) $100 Fine ( 2nd Offense ) $250 Fine . ( 3rd Offense ) $500 Fine , + a 2 - year suspension of drivers license . New Jersey all ( primary violation ) on permit or provisional license ( primary violation ) . totally prohibited New Mexico Local Option by Jurisdiction on learner or provisional license ( primary violation ) New York all ( primary violation ) North Carolina under 18 ( primary violation ) totally prohibited texting prohibited ( Primary ) Internet access okay North Dakota under 18 ( primary violation ) Ohio under 18 ( primary violation ) Oklahoma learner or intermediate license holder ( primary violation ) totally prohibited Oregon all ( primary violation ) under 18 ( primary violation ) Pennsylvania $50 fine for texting while driving . Puerto Rico all ( primary violation ) Rhode Island all ( primary violation ) 06 / 01 / 2018 under 18 ( primary violation ) totally prohibited South Carolina Totally prohibited , but officers must ascertain that a driver is texting rather than using the phone for another purpose . Authorities can impose fines and track `` distractions '' on accident reports under Contributing Factors . South Dakota on learner or intermediate license ( secondary violation ) Tennessee on learner or intermediate license ( primary violation ) totally prohibited texting prohibited Texas Driving through school zones under 18 ( primary violation ) totally prohibited texting prohibited Utah under 18 ( primary violation ) Regulated under distracted driving laws . Vermont all ( primary violation ) under 18 ( primary violation ) Virgin Islands all ( primary violation ) Virginia under 18 ( primary violation ) under 18 ( secondary violation ) totally prohibited texting prohibited Use of phone for text or email by the driver whilst vehicle is operational on state roads is prohibited . An exception exists for using GPS , dialing a number to make a call , or reporting an emergency . Washington all ( primary violation ) on learner or intermediate license ( primary violation ) Texting prohibited Washington , D.C. all ( primary violation ) on learner permit ( primary violation ) totally prohibited West Virginia all ( primary violation ) under 18 w / learner or intermediate license ( primary violation ) Wisconsin Driving through construction zones on learner or intermediate license ( primary violation ) Wyoming on learner or intermediate license ( primary violation ) Preemption laws ( edit ) Often , local authorities pass their own distracted driving bans -- most include the use of cell phones while driving . Several states ( Florida , Kentucky , Louisiana , Mississippi , Nevada , Pennsylvania , and Oklahoma ) have prohibited localities from enacting their own laws regarding cell phone use . Cost of distracted driving ( edit ) A 2014 report from the National Safety Council , which compiles data on injuries and fatalities from 2013 and earlier , concluded that use of mobile phones caused 26 % of U.S. car accidents . Just 5 % of mobile phone - related accidents in the U.S. involved texting : `` The majority of the accidents involve drivers distracted while talking on handheld or hands - free cellphones . '' The U.S. Department of Transportation has established an official website to combat distracted driving , Distraction.gov . In 2010 , the State Farm insurance company stated that mobile phone use annually resulted in : 636,000 crashes , 330,000 personal injuries , 12,000 major injuries , 2,700 deaths , and US $43 billion in damages . See also ( edit ) Texting while driving References ( edit ) Jump up ^ State Laws ; G `` overnment : Get the Facts ; '' retrieved April 2013 ^ Jump up to : Cellphone Laws ; GHSA on line ; retrieved April 30 , 2013 Jump up ^ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA ) ( August 22 , 2012 ) , U.S. Department of Transportation Announces New Federal Grant Program to Help States Fight Distracted Driving , retrieved August 30 , 2013 Jump up ^ American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials ( AASHTO ) ( August 24 , 2012 ) , `` States Vie for New Federal Funding to Help End Distracted Driving '' , AASHTO Journal , retrieved August 30 , 2013 Jump up ^ Cell Phone Driving Bans ... ; PC World ; retrieved May 01 , 2013 ^ Jump up to : Cellular Phone Use and Texting While Driving Laws ; NCSL online ; accessed October 4 , 2016 ^ Jump up to : Let 's Talk ( May 1 , 2013 ) . `` Cell Phone Driving Laws by State '' . Archived from the original on December 26 , 2012 . ^ Jump up to : Busek , Amy ( May 21 , 2013 ) , `` Law bans driver 's use of cellphone '' , Honolulu Star - Advertiser , retrieved July 22 , 2013 ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ Cell Phone Laws ; Insurance institute for Highway Safety ; retrieved April 2013 Jump up ^ https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGE/87/SF234.pdf ^ Jump up to : `` It 's official : Texting while driving in Iowa can get you pulled over -- and even land you in prison '' . Des Moines Register . Retrieved 2017 - 06 - 25 . Jump up ^ https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=87&ba=SF%20444 Jump up ^ New Bill Makes Talking On Handheld Cell Phone While Driving Primary Offense ; March 03 , 2013 article ; CBS Baltimore ; retrieved May 01 , 2013 Jump up ^ Handheld Cell Phone Ban Archived 2013 - 05 - 13 at the Wayback Machine. ; Nevada DOT online ; retrieved May 01 , 2013 Jump up ^ ( The New Jersey Driver Manual ) Jump up ^ Cell Phone ; NYS : Department of Motor Vehicles on line ; retrieved April 2013 Jump up ^ Ticketing begins on state law prohibiting cellphone use by young drivers : Road Rant ; February 28 , 2013 article ; by John Horton ; at The Plain Dealer ; retrieved April 2013 Jump up ^ http://handsfreeinfo.com/14089-south-carolina-texting/ Jump up ^ http://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/2010/title-55/chapter-8/55-8-199 Jump up ^ ( 1 ) What you need to know about Texas ' texting and driving ban ; Dallas News accessed September 2017 Jump up ^ Morning Commuters Mostly Stow Cellphones ; Burlington Freepress on line ; accessed October 2016 ^ Jump up to : Gabrielle Kratsas , Cellphone use causes over 1 in 4 car accidents , USA Today ( March 28 , 2014 ) . Jump up ^ Distraction.gov , U.S. Department of Transportation . Jump up ^ Cell Phone Use While Driving ; State Farm -- Learning Center ; retrieved May 01 , 2013 Further reading ( edit ) William Saletan ( October 23 , 2008 ) . `` The Mind - BlackBerry Problem : Hey , you ! Cell - phone zombie ! Get off the road ! '' . slate.com . 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