Distracted driving and hands-free laws

By the end of this topic you can

• You can name the three kinds of distraction: visual, manual and cognitive.
• You can set up your phone, navigation and music before you start driving.
• You can explain the difference between a texting ban and a handheld ban.
• You can find out whether your state bans all phone use for new or teen drivers.
• You can pull over safely when you really need to use your phone.

What you need to know and understand

• Almost every state bans texting while driving for all drivers.
• Many states go further and ban holding a phone at all while driving; rules vary by state, so check your state manual.
• Many states ban all phone use, including hands-free, for learner permit holders and teen drivers.
• Hands-free does not mean risk-free: a phone conversation still pulls your attention away from the road.
• NHTSA points out that reading a text for 5 seconds at 55 mph means traveling about the length of a football field without looking.
• In some states a phone violation adds points to your driving record as well as a fine.

Three ways your attention gets pulled away

Experts group distractions into three kinds. Texting is especially dangerous because it involves all three at once.

• Visual: looking at a screen, a map, a crash on the other side of the road or something in the car.
• Manual: taking a hand off the wheel to eat, drink, reach for something or hold a phone.
• Cognitive: thinking about something else, such as an argument, a call or a stressful day.

How state phone laws are usually layered

Most states build their rules in layers. The first layer is a texting ban for every driver. Many states add a handheld ban, which means you may only use a phone in a hands-free way, such as voice commands or a single tap on a mounted phone. Many states then add a total ban on phone use for drivers under a set age or still on a permit or provisional license.

Ages, fines and whether a stop can be made for the phone offense alone all vary by state: check your state manual. When you drive in another state, its law applies to you, not your home state's law.

Set up before you drive

1. Enter your destination and start navigation while parked.
2. Choose your music or podcast and set the volume.
3. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb or a driving focus mode.
4. Place the phone out of reach, or in a fixed mount if your state allows mounted phones.
5. If something needs your attention on the trip, find a safe, legal place to stop first.

Common mistakes

• Checking a phone at a red light. You are still driving and in traffic; in many states this is still illegal.
• Assuming hands-free is always allowed. Many states ban all phone use for permit holders and teen drivers.
• Letting passengers become a distraction. Ask them to stay calm and help with navigation instead.
• Eating or grooming while moving. Do it before you leave or when parked.

Test yourself: Distracted driving and hands-free laws

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Hands-Free and Texting Laws for US Drivers
• NC Hands-Free Law? North Carolina Phone Rules for New Drivers
• Tennessee Hands Free Law and Driver Points