5 Reasons You Need To Avoid Texting And Driving

Sending a text while driving may seem like a harmless act, but you could be putting yours and other people’s lives at risk. It doesn’t take more than a few seconds to run your car off the road, back-end another car, hit a pedestrian and more. It is your legal responsibility to drive safely and responsibly. Texting distracts you visually and cognitively while you are behind the wheel and delays your ability to react to unexpected events on the road. Learn more on texting and driving.

What Type of Distraction Is Texting and Driving?

Texting while driving is known as a visual distraction, defined as anything that keeps your eyes off the road and includes changing the radio station, consulting your GPS, putting makeup on and more.

Visual distractions are hazardous because they keep a driver from assessing their surroundings, therefore slowing down their reaction time. For example, reaching for something in the back seat or reading a text message will distract you from seeing the car in front of you brake suddenly.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, cell phone use while driving accounts for a high number of deaths and injuries in the United States. In 2020, almost 3,200 people were killed in collisions involving distracted drivers. If you are driving 55 miles per hour, a text would take your eyes off the road for the length of a football field.

What Are the Risks of Texting and Driving?

The biggest risks when texting and driving are injuring yourself or others, but there are other risks as well. For example, you are likely breaking the law. Texting while driving is illegal in every state, so you risk a traffic ticket and a fine. If you get a ticket, your insurer may find out and increase your rates.

Additionally, even if you don’t injure someone, you could dent and damage your car because of an accident you caused by texting and driving.

How Does Texting and Driving Affect Others?

Distracted drivers can rear-end other drivers because they weren’t paying attention. They can run red lights and roll through stop signs. They can speed through school limit zones and stray out of their lane. They can hit bicyclists or pedestrians or poles.

When you are distracted while driving, you are no longer in control of your car. By texting and driving, you can be at fault for accidents that kill others, destroy families and be financially devastated.

Victims of texting and driving collisions could suffer permanent injuries like traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, whiplash, broken bones, organ damage and more. If someone is hurt in a car accident, they will need time to heal. This could equate to loss of income and earning capacity, mounting medical bills, high out-of-pocket costs and property damage. You may have to pay out of pocket for costs that exceed your car insurance policy’s limits.

Get Personalized Car Insurance Quotes Here

Texting and driving can lead to injuring yourself and/or others, causing property damage and getting a ticket.

Which Age Group Texts and Drives the Most? 

Younger drivers make up the demographic that texts while driving the most. In a recent study, they indicated that checking a text or email made no difference in their driving, which is not true.

It should therefore not be a surprise that young drivers (18 to 20) have the highest incidence of car crashes than other age groups. This age group tends to have nearly twice as many collisions than the next highest bracket (21 to 24).

What Happens if You’re Pulled Over When Texting While Driving?

You will be ticketed for texting and driving in all but two states. In Texas, for example, texting and driving is a misdemeanor, which means a conviction that results in a criminal record and a fine of $25 to $99. In Utah, this misdemeanor could result in three months in jail and a $750 fine. In Arkansas, a first offense costs $250 and $500 for any subsequent offenses. In many states, you face having your license suspended, fines, increased insurance premiums and even jail time.

Texting and Driving Ticket Costs: State-by-State Guide

Even though there is no federal law banning texting and driving, 48 states have passed laws against it. Montana and Missouri are the only states that presently allow texting and driving. In Nebraska, texting and driving is a secondary offense, so it can only be cited in addition to another moving violation. The penalties for breaking one of these laws can range from fines to a license suspension:

State	Handheld Ban	Texting Ban	Cellphone Ban	License Points	Ticket costs (First Offense)
Alabama	16 and under	Yes	No	2	$25
Alaska	No	Yes	No		Up to $10,000
Arkansas	For 18 – 20 years old and in school and work zones (secondary)	Yes	No		$250
Arizona	Yes	Yes	Yes		$75 and $149
California	Yes	Yes	Yes		$162
Colorado	No	Yes	No	4	$300
Connecticut	Yes	Yes	Yes		$200
District of Columbia	Yes	Yes	Yes
Delaware	Yes	Yes	Yes		$100
Florida	Yes	Yes	No	3	$30
Georgia	Yes	Yes	Yes	1	$50
Hawaii	Yes	Yes	Yes		$250
Idaho	No	Yes	Yes		$75
Illinois	Yes	Yes	Yes		$75
Indiana	No	Yes	Yes	4	$35.50
Iowa	No	Yes	No		$100
Kansas	No	Yes	No		$60
Kentucky	No	Yes	No	3	$25
Louisiana	Learner or intermediate license in school zones only	Yes	No		$175
Maine	Yes	Yes	Yes		$250
Maryland	Yes	Yes	Yes	1 for third offense	$83
Massachusetts	Yes	Yes	Yes		$100
Michigan	No	Yes	No		$100
Minnesota	Yes	Yes	Yes		$120
Mississippi	No	Yes	No		$100
Missouri	No	No	No	2	$85
Montana	No	No	No
Nebraska	No	Yes	No	3	$200
New Hampshire	Yes	Yes	Yes		$100
New Jersey	Yes	Yes	Yes	3 for third offense	$200
New Mexico	No	Yes	No		$25
New York	Yes	Yes	Yes	4	$50-$200
Nevada	Yes	Yes	Yes	4 for second offense	$50
North Carolina	No	Yes	No		$100
North Dakota	No	Yes	No		$100
Ohio	No	Yes	No		$150
Oklahoma	Learner or intermediate license only	Yes	No		$100
Oregon	Yes	Yes	Yes		Starts at a $1,000
Pennsylvania	No	Yes	No		$50
Rhode Island	Yes	Yes	Yes		$100
South Carolina	No	Yes	No		$25
South Dakota	No	Yes	No		$122.50
Tennessee	Yes	Yes	Yes		$50
Texas	Only in school zones	Yes	Yes (but only in school zones)		$25-$99
Utah	No	Yes	No		$100
Vermont	Yes	Yes	Yes		$100-$200
Virginia	In highway work zones only	Yes	Yes		$125
Washington	Yes	Yes	Yes		$136
West Virginia	Yes	Yes	Yes		$100
Wisconsin	No	Yes	No		$20
Wyoming	No	Yes	No		$75-$90

Get Personalized Car Insurance Quotes Here

Younger drivers make up the demographic that texts while driving the most.

Does Distracted Driving Increase Insurance Rates?

Your insurance premiums will increase if you get a ticket for texting and driving. Even if you have a clean driving record otherwise, you could see a change in your rates when it’s time to renew your policy if you get a ticket for texting and driving.

Most insurers look at the past three to four years of your driving history, so any violations beyond that will likely be dropped. Once you have a clean history, your rates will likely drop.

Will a Texting and Driving Ticket Go On My Record?

Getting cited for distracted driving will add points to your driving record in most states, and you will likely see an increase in your insurance rates come renewal. Most first offenses will result in a fine. However, subsequent offenses will be more costly and may include jail time. Additionally, receiving too many points for traffic violations could result in a suspended license. Where you live plays a big part in what consequences you’ll face, as some states view texting as a misdemeanor, while a couple do not ban it altogether.

Are There Ways To Prevent Texting and Driving?

Since texting takes your eyes and attention off the road, it is one of the worst kinds of distracted driving. All it takes is five seconds to change people’s lives forever. Reaching for your phone, reading messages, and texting a reply can all increase your chances of getting in a car accident significantly. Here are some tips to prevent texting and driving:

• Place your phone out of your reach, like in your purse or in the console.
• Put the phone on silent mode.
• Let your family and friends know that you will be unavailable when you are driving.
• If you need to respond, pull over in a safe area to do so.
• If you are a passenger, ask the driver to stop texting or talking on their phone.

Your insurance premiums will increase if you get a ticket for texting and driving.

Key Takeaways Texting and driving is illegal in 48 states and the District of Columbia. The use of handheld phones while driving is illegal as a primary offense in 24 states and the District of Columbia. The penalties for talking and texting while driving varies from state to state.

Are You Paying Higher Insurance Rates Because of a Texting Ticket?

Getting a traffic ticket will increase your insurance premium but you can shop around with SmartFinancial’s free online tools to find a car insurance policy that is perfect for your budget. Just enter your zip code below and answer a few questions or call 855.214.2291 to get free competitively priced car insurance quotes in your area.