• Safe driving requires concentration, and cell phones create a deadly distraction.highway image by Ekaterina Sidorenko from Fotolia.com
  
  Driving while talking on the cell phone can be extremely dangerous. Studies have shown that driving while talking on the cell phone or texting can cause impairment equal to or greater than driving while drunk. Many states have enacted cell-phone bans or texting bans. If a police officer sees you on your cell phone, he or she can pull you over and write you a ticket. Even if there is no law on cell-phone use while driving in your state, remember that it threatens your life and the life of other people on the road --- the convenience simply isn't worth risking death or serious injury.
  
  

States which ban hand-held cell phones

• Eight states ban drivers from talking on a hand-held cell phone while driving. Hands-free devices are allowed. These states are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands.
  
  

States which ban cell-phone use for new drivers

• In 28 states plus D.C, it is illegal for novice drivers (usually those under 18 and, sometimes, 21 years old) to use cell phones at all while driving, hands-free or otherwise. These states are Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, D.C., Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.
  
  

States which ban cell-phone use by bus drivers

• These states ban the use of cell phones, even hands-free phones, by school bus drivers. States with this law are Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, D.C., Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
  
  

States which ban texting

• Thirty states, as well as D.C. and Guam, ban texting for all drivers. These states are Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, D.C., Georgia, Guam, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
  
  Also, the following states ban texting for novice drivers: Alabama, Indiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia.
  
  Oklahoma and Texas also ban texting for school bus drivers.