Cell Phone While Driving – Just Say No, Not Hello!

If you want to use your cell phone while driving, just make sure you're not in the District of Columbia. While using a cell phone while driving is banned in at least 45 countries worldwide, the United States is just beginning to enact such laws. Most of these laws distinguish between using a handset or hands-free phones.

Since New York became the first US state to pass a law that prohibits using a cell phones while driving, and imposed a $100 fine for using a hand-held phone while driving, law enforcement officials have issued 270,000 tickets.

Drivers in Washington DC and New Jersey are also prohibited from holding a cell phone while driving and can be fined $100 for each offense.

In some States it is illegal for school bus drivers to use cell phones, while in Maine, minors and those just learning to drive may not use a cell phone while behind the wheel. Some cities have local ordinances against using a cell phone while driving.

Internationally, Norway and Poland carry the stiffest fines for talking on a cell phone while behind the wheel. In Norway the fine is $600 per offense, while in Poland, fines can go as high as $1,000.

Also see; cell phone safety.

Author Notes:

Jack Adams contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.cell-phones-n-plans.com. A cellular phone industry resource that features service plan comparisons, cellular phone reviews and articles.