Laws plus visible enforcement are effective at reducing crashes and saving lives, making our roads safer for all. Each year in state legislatures, there is much activity regarding cell phones and driving. Check these resources for current status of state bills being debated and laws enacted.
NCSL also tracks cell phone laws including whether the state collects cell phone crash data.
On July 6, 2012, President Obama signed into law the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, which is a two-year reauthorization of surface transportation programs. It more commonly is referred to as MAP-21. This bill was the first multi-year transportation authorization enacted since 2005, and it will provide more than $105 billion to fund surface transportation programs in 2013 and 2014. It includes various incentives for states that strengthen existing Graduated Driver Licensing programs to meet federal requirements and incentives for states that pass distracted driving legislation.
Recent surveys have measured public support for hands-free, handheld and texting bans. According to results, the public supports banning phone use while driving more than legislators and employers may think they do. Visit the Public Opinion Surveys section in Key Research for links to survey results.