Additional Information

Know The Facts

Know The Facts

Distracted driving is a serious issue across the United States. Learn why Virginia is committed to keeping our Virginia roads safe.

Virginia is the 22nd state in the Nation to ban handheld phone use while driving.

In a Liberty Mutual survey, 80% of teens reported that they viewed APP use while driving as “not distracting.”
-Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety

“80% of all crashes and 65% of all near-crashes involve driver inattention within three seconds of the crash.”
-Virginia Tech Transportation Institute

Virginia drivers observed in a 2018 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) roadside survey were 57% more likely to be manipulating a cellphone than drivers in a 2014 survey.

“Texting is by far the most egregious form of distracted driving and increases your crash risk by 2300% because it involves all three kinds of distraction – manual, visual, and cognitive.”
-Virginia Tech Transportation Institute

“Each day in the United States, more than nine people are killed and more than 1,153 people are injured as a result of distracted driving.”
-The Centers for Disease Control

“Motorists with smartphones use handheld devices in 88 out of every 100 trips. Therefore, Zendrive estimates that there are about 600 million trips involving distracted driving in the United States every day.”
-Zendrive

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

This new law does not prohibit making or receiving phone calls using “hands-free” technology, such as Bluetooth or integrated systems within the motor vehicle. Simply said, you cannot hold your phone while driving for any reason. If you must use your device, we encourage you to pull over to a safe location and park your car before handling your smartphone.

The new law becomes effective January 1st, 2021, to allow an education period for drivers to learn about the law. After the effective date, police will begin enforcing the law.

This web page is part of the answer. The General Assembly mandated that traffic safety organizations like DRIVE SMART Virginia shall develop and provide educational materials to the public regarding the provisions of this act prior to its effective date. Messaging through social and digital media, publications, news stories and columns, and public service announcements will carry educational messaging.

It is illegal for a driver to operate a motor vehicle while holding a cellphone or mobile device.

Yes, but you may not hold the phone. Use “hands-free” technology, such as Bluetooth or integrated systems within the motor vehicle.

  • The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police and DRIVE SMART Virginia  have created training and educational materials on the implementation and enforcement of this act and made the materials available to law-enforcement agencies.
  • DRIVE SMART Virginia and other traffic safety organizations have developed and are providing educational materials to the public regarding the provisions of this act prior to its effective date.
  • The Chairmen of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee for Courts of Justice shall annually request the Office of the Executive Secretary to report all of the citations issued pursuant to the provisions of this act and, to the extent available, the relevant demographic characteristics of those persons issued a citation.