Cell Phone Laws as of July 2008

• Five states (California, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Washington) and the District of Columbia have enacted a jurisdiction-wide ban on driving while talking on a handheld cellular phone. Washington state has also enacted a jurisdiction-wide ban on text messaging while driving.
• Six states (Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, and Pennsylvania) allow localities to ban cell phone use. Localities that have enacted restrictions on cell phone use include: Chicago, IL; Brookline, MA; Detroit, MI; Santa Fe, NM; Brooklyn, North Olmstead and Walton Hills, OH; and Conshohocken, Lebanon and West Conshohocken, PA.
• Eight states (Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Utah) prohibit localities from banning cell phone use.
• Thirteen states (Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas) and DC prohibit the use of all cellular phones while driving a school bus.
• Fifteen states (Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia) and DC restrict the use of cellular phones by young drivers.
• All but seven states with cell phone bans have primary enforcement laws. New Jersey's ban is a secondary enforcement law for everyone except school bus drivers and learner's permit and intermediate license holders. Colorado, Maryland, Nebraska, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia have secondary enforcement laws. Secondary enforcement laws may only be enforced when a driver has been stopped for another infraction. Utah's law defines careless driving as committing a moving violation (other than speeding) while distracted by use of a hand held cell phone or other activities not related to driving.