Driving, Mobile Devices, and State Laws

It's summer again, when we drive to new jobs, vacations, and other unfamiliar places both in and outside of New York. Current laws on the use of hand-held phones, texting, and other uses of mobile devices while driving, including penalties, can vary significantly from state to state and are subject to constant revision by legislators.  Justia, the free legal information site, has the current text of New York's laws on the use of mobile phones and other devices while driving.  Section 1225-c of the New York Vehicle and Traffic Law, relating to the "Use of Mobile Telephones," is available here.  Section 1225-d of the Law, covering the "Use of Portable Electronic Devices," (including their use for text messaging, games, and searching the Internet) is here.  For a quick look at other states' laws on these topics, check out the chart and state law maps provided by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat