Latest Distracted Driving Headlines
All the headlines from our Distracted Driving Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Ohio Bill Would Ban Drivers from Holding Phones, Devices
May 4 2021 // Holding a cell phone or other electronic device while driving in Ohio would be illegal under legislation introduced May 3 that takes aim at distracted driving by targeting not just texting but scrolling through social...
Distracted Driving Bill Crashes In Alabama Legislature
Apr 15 2021 // The Alabama House of Representatives last week narrowly rejected a proposal to fine people for using a smartphone while driving. The bill by Republican Rep. K.L. Brown of Jacksonville would have prohibited a driver from...
Distracted Driving a Major Problem in Texas, Transportation Officials Say
Apr 9 2021 // Distracted driving comes in second for the cause of traffic crashes in Texas, state transportation officials say. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reports that one in five traffic crashes are caused by cell...
North Carolina Agents Launch Distracted Driving Campaign
Apr 7 2021 // The Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina (IIANC) have launched a campaign designed to inform and educate the driving public, especially parents and young drivers, about the peril of distracted driving, which...
Distracted Driving Behaviors Increased During Pandemic. Are Bosses to Blame?
Mar 31 2021 // One in four drivers thinks that roads are safer today than they were before the pandemic, yet a growing number of drivers are texting or emailing while driving– in part as more of them feel pressured to be available...
Data: Florida’s Texting-While-Driving Law Rarely Enforced
Mar 24 2021 // A Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputy was heading east on Interstate 4 in his red Dodge Charger on a brilliantly sunny afternoon in Florida when he saw him: A young driver behind the wheel of a Jeep texting on his...
Georgia Lawmaker Seeks to Close Loophole in Hands-Free Phone Law
Feb 4 2021 // A Georgia state House member says drivers should not be able to avoid penalties by telling judges they have purchased hands-free devices for their cellphones. Republican Rep. John Carson of Marietta that the current...
Idaho Distracted Driving Law Kicks in, Insurers May Consider Citations in Rates
Jan 4 2021 // Starting Jan. 1, drivers violating Idaho’s hands-free device, distracted driving law risked getting a citation. The law has been in effect since July 1, but Idaho State Police troopers have been issuing warnings to...
Holding a Phone While Driving Will Soon Be Illegal in Virginia
Dec 14 2020 // It will soon be illegal in Virginia to hold a phone while driving. WAVY-TV reported that the new state law takes effect in January. Authorities say that making the practice illegal and enforceable is an important step...
Despite Warnings and Laws, Drivers Continue to Be Distracted by Phones
Nov 18 2020 // Despite education programs and state laws, phone-based driving distraction is still on the rise—and is likely responsible for far more accidents than widely reported, says a new study from Cambridge Mobile Telematics...
Georgia Begins Weeklong Crackdown on Distracted Driving
Oct 5 2020 // In an effort to get drivers to keep their eyes on the road while they’re behind the wheel, law enforcement officers in Georgia plan to participate in a statewide crackdown on distracted driving. State and local...
New Jersey Driver Accused of Texting Gets Prison in Pedestrian’s Death
Aug 27 2020 // A New Jersey woman has been sentenced to five years in prison in the death of a pedestrian that prosecutors said occurred as the driver was texting – an accusation the defendant denied on the stand. Alexandra...
Profit-Driven Automakers Race to Next Level of Not Quite Self-Driving Cars
Jul 15 2020 // Autopilot, ProPilot, CoPilot: Automakers have many names for new systems that allow for hands-free driving, but no safety or performance standards to follow as they roll out the most significant changes to vehicle...
New Indiana State Law Bans Use of Handheld Phone While Driving
Jul 2 2020 // Using a handheld cellphone while driving is now illegal on Indiana roads under a new state law that took effect this week. The move aimed at combating distracted driving went onto the books on July 1 after being approved...
Cellphone While Driving Ban Goes into Effect in Idaho
Jun 30 2020 // Effective July 1 using a handheld phone while operating a moving motor vehicle in Idaho is prohibited. Idaho drivers will receive warnings until Jan. 1, 2021. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association is...
Phone Use While Driving a 1st Offence in South Dakota on July 1
Jun 30 2020 // Drivers in South Dakota who use their cellphones can be pulled over and ticketed purely for that offense starting July 1. A new state law taking effect July 1 makes it a Class 2 misdemeanor to use a cellphone while driving...
Ban on Holding Cellphone While Driving Begins July 1 in Indiana
Mar 23 2020 // Drivers will be banned from using handheld cellphones on Indiana roads starting in July under legislation Gov. Eric Holcomb has signed into law to combat distracted driving. Holcomb signed the measure on March 18, making...
Hold the Phone: Massachusetts’ Hands-Free Driving Law Takes Effect
Mar 9 2020 // Massachusetts’ new hands-free driving law went into effect February 23rd. The law, signed by Governor Charlie Baker in November, is intended to reduce the number of distracted driving injuries and deaths in the...
Boise Passes Hand-Held Phone Ban for Drivers
Mar 6 2020 // It’s now illegal to use a hand-held device while driving in Boise. The city council unanimously approved an ordinance banning hand-held cell phone use while driving during a meeting on Tuesday. The new rule means...
South Dakota Legislation Banning Cell Phone Use While Driving Sent to Governor
Mar 5 2020 // A bill passed by the South Dakota Legislature bans the use of smartphones and other electronic communication devices while driving, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) reported. The APCIA supports...
