Virginia’s New Teen Driver Cell Phone Ban

A new Virginia state law went into effect July 1 that bans teenagers under 18 from using their cellphones while driving a vehicle in the state of Virginia. The new law prohibits VA drivers under the age of 18 from talking, sending text messages or snapping photos with a cellphone while driving on Virginia roads.

If you’re under 18,

don’t think you can get away with using a hands-free cellphone either … that’s now illegal too. However, underage drivers are allowed to use a cellphone (or other wireless device) in the case of an emergency or when the vehicle is fully stopped (parked).

The underage cellphone ban is a “secondary offense”, so a police officer could issue a citation only if the driver was pulled over for another moving violation. The new law imposes strict fines of up to $1,000 per violation.

The American Automobile Association, a national driver advocacy group, estimates this new law will save the lives of three to four teenagers per week in Virginia. Mr. Lon Anderson of the Mid-Atlantic AAA Chapter says, “With distracted driving eclipsing drunk driving as the number one concern facing Virginia drivers, this one law addresses a very significant issue for our teens.”

See http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/general/news/news.asp?id=5034