With the introduction of cell phones, distracted driving took a step into the national spotlight. Blamed for both minor and serious accidents, states have moved to regulate the use of handheld devices while operating a car.

In addition to cell phone use, other forms of distracted driving can result in fines and other penalties, as well as an increase in your car insurance premiums.

Jerry

has detailed exactly what you can expect when you get a distracted driving ticket and how much a ticket can cause your car insurance premiums to increase.

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What is distracted driving?

More than just using a handheld device while on the road, distracted driving occurs whenever you divert your attention from the road while driving to do something else. Some of the more common causes of distracted driving include:

Putting on makeup and other personal grooming

Texting, sending an email, or checking social media with a handheld device

Taking a photograph with a handheld device

Checking a GPS device or map

Using apps on a handheld device

Messing with the radio/CD player

Taking your eyes off the road to reach for an object

Engaging in conversation with a passenger

Distracted driving tickets and other penalties

Texting and driving represent the biggest culprits behind accidents caused by distracted driving. Many states have implemented new laws designed to cut down on the instances of distracted driving on state roadways.

The following chart, created using information from

GHSA.org

and Countrywideppls.com, details the handheld use laws in different states and how much you can expect to pay for getting caught using a handheld device while driving:

State	Cell Phone Handheld Use Ban	Text Messaging While Driving Ban	Penalties for Cell Phone Use and Texting While Driving
AL	No	All drivers	First offense: $25 fine; second offense: $50 fine; subsequent offenses: $75 fine
AK	No	All drivers	Charged with a misdemeanor if no accident. Charged with a felony if an accident with injury.
AZ	No	Only for permit holders under 18	No penalty
AR	Drivers 18 to 20	All drivers	Up to a $100 fine.
CA	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $20 fine; subsequent offenses: $50 fine.
CO	No	All drivers	First offense: $56 fine; Subsequent offense: $106 fine.
CT	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $125 fine; subsequent offenses: $250 fine.
DC	Yes	All drivers	Fine of $100.
DE	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $106 fine; subsequent offenses: up to a $350 fine.
FL	No	All drivers	Fine of $30.
GA	No	All drivers	Fine of $150 plus one point on driving record.
HI	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $200 fine; second offense (within same year) $300 fine.
IA	No	All drivers	Fine of $30, or up to $1,000 for causing a serious accident while texting.
ID	No	All drivers	Fines start at $85 for the first offense.
IL	Yes	All drivers	Fines start at $75 for a first offense.
IN	No	All drivers	Fine ranges from $35 to $500.
KS	No	All drivers	Fine of $60.
KY	No	All drivers	First offense: $25 plus court costs; subsequent offenses: $50 plus court costs.
LA	Drivers with permits, regardless of age	All drivers	First offense: $175 fine; subsequent offenses: $500 fine.
MA	No	All drivers	First offense: $100 fine; subsequent offenses: $250 fine.
MD	Yes	All drivers	Fine ranges from $40 to $100.
ME	No	All drivers	First offense: $100 fine; fines increase for subsequent offenses.
MI	No	All drivers	First offense: $100 fine; subsequent offenses: $200 fine.
MN	No	All drivers	Fines up to $300 per offense.
MO	No	Drivers 21 and under	Fine of $20.50.
MS	No	All drivers	Fine of $500 for a first time offender.
MT	No	No	No penalty.
NC	No	All drivers	Novice drivers: $25 fine; adult drivers: $100 fine.
ND	No	All drivers	Fine of $100.
NE	No	All drivers	First offense: $200 fine; second offense: $300 fine; subsequent offenses: $500 fine.
NH	Yes	All drivers	$100 fine.
NJ	Yes	All drivers	$100 fine.
NM	In-state vehicles	All drivers	First offense: $25 fine; subsequent offenses: $50 fine.
NV	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $50 fine; second offense (within seven years): $100 fine; subsequent offenses (within seven years): $250 fine.
NY	Yes	All drivers	Fine of $150 plus mandatory fees up to $85.
OH	No	All drivers	Up to $150 fine. Up to a $300 fine for novice drivers.
OK	Drivers with permits	All drivers	Suspended or revoked driver's license.
OR	Yes	All drivers	Fine of $142.
PA	No	All drivers	Fine of $50.
RI	No	All drivers	First offense: $85 fine; second offense: $100 fine; subsequent offenses: $125 fine.
SC	No	All drivers	Fine amount varies by county.
SD	No	All drivers	Fine of $100.
TN	No	All drivers	Fine of $50 plus court costs (not to exceed $10).
TX	No, banned in school zones	All drivers	No penalty.
UT	No	All drivers	Fine of $750 and/or jail time of up to three months.
VA	No	All drivers	First offense: $125 fine; subsequent offenses: $250 fine.
VT	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $100 fine; subsequent offenses (within two years): $250 fine.
WA	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $124 fine.
WI	No	All drivers	Fine of $20 to $400, and up to four points on driving record.
WV	Yes	All drivers	First offense: $25 fine; second offenses: $50 fine; subsequent offenses: $75 fine.
WY	No	All drivers	Up to a $75 fine.

MORE:

How long do tickets and accidents impact your rate?

Other costs associated with distracted driving

In addition to tickets, driver's license suspensions, and jail time, distracted driving can also lead to higher car insurance premiums.

Texting, the most common form of distracted driving, causes your premiums to go up when you accrue points on your driving record, though not all states assign points for such a violation. States that don't assign points for texting-while-driving include:

California

Delaware

Iowa

Louisiana

Pennsylvania

Tennessee

When you live in a state that does put points on your record for a distracted driving ticket, expect to pay more per year on your car insurance premiums. As an example, the following table from NerdWallet illustrates just how much more you can expect to pay each year with just one accident on your record, a common occurrence when driving while distracted:

National Ranking (smallest to biggest price increase)	State	Average Annual Rate Increase Compared to Drivers With Clean Records
1	New York	$80
2	Connecticut	$147
3	Tennessee	$153
4	New Hampshire	$157
5	Indiana	$190
6	Nebraska	$200
7	Georgia	$222
8	Maine	$272
9 (tie)	North Dakota	$277
9 (tie)	Pennsylvania	$277
11	Minnesota	$283
12	Ohio	$294
13	Vermont	$295
14	Kansas	$299
15	Delaware	$308
16	Mississippi	$319
17	Washington	$322
18	Missouri	$328
19	Hawaii	$334
20	West Virginia	$339
21	Illinois	$340
22	Wisconsin	$351
23	South Dakota	$355
24	Rhode Island	$356
25	Idaho	$363
26	Colorado	$368
27	Alabama	$397
28	Virginia	$406
29	Oklahoma	$410
30	Iowa	$420
31	Utah	$422
32	South Carolina	$425
33	Maryland	$452
34	Wyoming	$480
35	Montana	$492
36	North Carolina	$500
37	Arkansas	$510
38	Massachusetts	$566
39	Texas	$586
40	Oregon	$606
41	California	$608
42	Louisiana	$684
43	Alaska	$687
44	New Mexico	$759
45	Nevada	$808
46	Michigan	$810
47	New Jersey	$835
48	Florida	$843
49	Arizona	$865
50	Kentucky	$893
51	District of Columbia	$1,041
Average increase by state	$446

Credit:

NerdWallet

Try shopping with Jerry

As you can see, driving while distracted can lead to hefty fines and an increase in your car insurance premium in many states. Avoid the hassle of paying higher insurance premiums when this happens by switching to another car insurance company.

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