There are now 30 States that ban texting while driving, 11 of these laws were enacted in 2010.  It's pretty obvious that if you're looking down at your phone rather than at the road that you're more likely to get into trouble.  Yet people still continue to do it.  Next time you have the urge, use your voice to dicate your message through Voice Assist, rather than using the keyboard on your phone.

To get the latest information about the laws in your State, check out the Governors Highway Safety Association.  TheThe site includes a comprehensive overview State-by-State.

Even before all this talk in Washington about a nationwide ban on texting while driving, a number of States already had legislation on the books.

The Governers Highway Safety Association (GHSA) has an up-to-date list of the laws in each State related to texting while driving, cell phone use while driving, and handsfree laws. 

Current state cell phone driving law highlights include the following:

• Handheld Cell Phone Bans for All Drivers: 6 states (California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington), the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from talking on handheld cell phones while driving.
  • With the exception of Washington State, these laws are all primary enforcement—an officer may ticket a driver for using a handheld cell phone while driving without any other traffic offense taking place.
• All Cell Phone Bans: No state completely bans all types of cell phone use (handheld and hands-free) for all drivers, but many prohibit cell phone use by certain segments of the population.
  • Novice Drivers: 20 states and the District of Columbia ban all cell use by novice drivers.
  • School Bus Drivers: In 16 states and the District of Columbia, school bus drivers are prohibited from all cell phone use when passengers are present.
• Text Messaging: 17 states and the District of Columbia now ban text messaging for all drivers.
  • Novice Drivers: 9 states prohibit text messaging by novice drivers.
  • School Bus Drivers: 1 state restricts school bus drivers from texting while driving.
• Preemption Laws: 8 states have laws that prohibit local jurisdictions from enacting restrictions. In 6 other states, localities are allowed to ban cell phone use.
• Some states, such as Utah and New Hampshire, treat cell phone use as a larger distracted driving issue.
  • Utah considers speaking on a cellphone to be an offense only if a driver is also committing some other moving violation (other than speeding).

The recent Virgina Tech Transportation Institute report has brought the hazards of texting while driving back into the spotlight.  Now legislators across the country are talking a nationwide ban.

According to an article by KEN THOMAS, Associated Press, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Kay Hagan of North Carolina plan to unveil legislation to require states to ban texting or e-mailing while operating a moving vehicle while driving.

"The federal government ought to pass a law banning this dangerous and growing practice to protect the millions of Americans on our nation's roads. It is a matter of public safety," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

The legislation would require states to ban texting or e-mailing while operating a moving vehicle or lose 25 percent of their annual federal highway funding. It would be patterned after the way the Congress required states to adopt a national drunken driving ban.

The transportation secretary would be required to issue guidelines within six months of the measure being signed into law, and states then would have two years to approve the bans on texting and driving.  The bill would target the activity in a moving vehicle and not prohibit a driver from texting or e-mailing in a stopped car.

Fourteen states and the District of Columbia have already passed laws making texting while driving illegal.

Mike Keefe's cartoon in the Denver Post today, showed the lighter side of driver distraction!

As of July 1^st 2009, Virginia became the 14th state to pass a ban on text messaging while driving.  With good reason.  According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV) Virginia Highway Safety Office, last year 28,395 crashes occurred in the state involving driver distractions, like texting.  Of those, 114 people died and 14,480 were injured.  The law also bans emailing in addition to texting. For more information, visit http://www.dmv.state.va.us

So if you want to send a text message, keep your hands on the wheel, eyes on the road and dictate it!  We’ll transcribe it and send it for you.