"Hands-free driving" is an oxymoron.
If your hands were really "FREE" they'd not be holding the steering wheel. And you have GOT to have your hands on the steering wheel at all times . . . perferably the 10 o'clock / 2 o'clock positions!
But be WARNED!! Starting 2010 the State of Oregon will require all drivers to use a hands-free device if they use a mobile communication device while driving in the state. Violation of the law is a Class D traffic violation punishable with a fine of up to $90.
Here's a list of States and their current laws!
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State |
Hand- |
Enforce- |
All Cell Phone Ban |
Text Messaging Ban |
Crash |
Pre- |
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| Alabama | |||||||||||
| Alaska | Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Primary | Yes | |||||||
| Arizona | Yes | Primary | |||||||||
| Arkansas | Yes | <18; 18 - 20 can use hands free only | Primary: bus drivers Secondary: novice drivers |
Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Primary | Yes | ||||
| California | Yes | Primary | Yes | <18 | Primary: bus drivers Secondary: novice drivers |
Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Primary | Yes | ||
| Colorado | <18 | Primary | Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Primary | Yes | |||||
| Connecticut | Yes | Primary | Yes | Learners Permit and <18 | Primary | Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Primary | |||
| Delaware | Yes | Learner's permit and intermediate license holders | Primary | Learner's permit and intermediate license holders | Primary | Yes | |||||
| D.C. | Yes | Primary | Yes | Learners Permit | Primary | Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Primary | Yes | ||
| Florida | Yes | ||||||||||
| Georgia | Yes | Primary | Yes | ||||||||
| Guam | Yes | Primary | |||||||||
| Hawaii | |||||||||||
| Idaho | |||||||||||
| Illinois | See footnote | Yes | <19 | Primary | Yes (eff. 1/10) |
Covered under all driver ban | Primary | Yes | |||
| Indiana | <18 | Primary | <18 | Primary | Yes | ||||||
| Iowa | Yes | ||||||||||
| Kansas | Learner or Intermediate License (eff. 1/10) |
Primary | Learner or Intermediate License (eff. 1/10) |
Primary | Yes | ||||||
| Kentucky | Yes | Primary | Yes | ||||||||
| Louisiana | Yes | Yes (eff. 4/10) |
Primary: bus drivers Secondary: novice drivers |
Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Secondary | Yes | Yes | |||
| Maine | <18 | Primary | <18 | Primary | Yes | ||||||
| Maryland | <18 w/ Learner or Provisional License | Secondary | Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Primary | Yes | |||||
| Massachusetts | Yes | Primary | Yes | ||||||||
| Michigan | See footnote | Yes | |||||||||
| Minnesota | Yes | Learner or Provisional License | Primary | Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Primary | Yes | ||||
| Mississippi | Learner or Provisional License | Primary | Yes | ||||||||
| Missouri | <21 | Primary | |||||||||
| Montana | Yes | ||||||||||
| Nebraska | <18 w/ Learners or Provisional License | Secondary | <18 w/ Learners or Provisional License | Secondary | Yes | ||||||
| Nevada | Yes | Yes | |||||||||
| New Hampshire | Yes (eff. 1/10) |
Covered under all driver ban | Primary | ||||||||
| New Jersey | Yes | Primary | Yes | <21 w/ GDL or Provisional License | Primary | Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Primary | Yes | ||
| New Mexico | In State vehicles | Yes | |||||||||
| New York | Yes | Primary | Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Secondary | Yes | |||||
| North Carolina | Yes | <18 | Primary | Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Primary | |||||
| North Dakota | Yes | ||||||||||
| Ohio | |||||||||||
| Oklahoma | Yes | Yes | |||||||||
| Oregon | Yes (eff. 1/10) |
Primary | <18 (eff. 1/10) |
Primary | Yes (eff. 1/10) |
Covered under all driver ban | Primary | Yes | |||
| Pennsylvania | Yes | ||||||||||
| Rhode Island | Yes | <18 | Primary | Yes | Primary | ||||||
| South Carolina | |||||||||||
| South Dakota | Yes | ||||||||||
| Tennessee | Yes | Learners Permit or Intermediate License | Primary | Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Primary | Yes | ||||
| Texas | Yes, w/ passenger <17 | Intermediate Stage, 1st 12 mos. | Primary | Yes, w/ passenger <17 | Intermediate Stage, 1st 12 mos. | Primary | Yes | ||||
| Utah | See footnote | Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Primary | Yes | ||||||
| Vermont | |||||||||||
| Virgin Islands | Yes | No data | Yes | ||||||||
| Virginia | Yes | <18 | Primary: bus drivers Secondary: novice drivers |
Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Primary: bus drivers Secondary: novice drivers |
Yes | ||||
| Washington | Yes | Secondary | Yes | Covered under all driver ban | Secondary | Yes | |||||
| West Virginia | Learner or Intermediate Stage | Primary | Learner or Intermediate Stage | Primary | |||||||
| Wisconsin | |||||||||||
| Wyoming | Yes | ||||||||||
Comments(19)