Celica Hobby - Countries that ban cell phones while driving

Country Listing (USA in separate table at the bottom)

Country	Banned	Notes
Australia	Yes	Banned in all states -fines vary though.
Austria	Yes	Fines vary - up toUS$22 per incident
Bahrain	Yes	Offenders face fines - possibly prison
Belgium	Yes	Phones can be usedwithout a hands-free unit when the car is stationary -but not while in traffic (such as at traffic lights)
Brazil	Yes	Ban imposed Jan. 2001
Botswana	Beingdebated	The attorney generalis drafting the legislation
Canada	Variable	Banned in Newfoundland(Dec2002) fines up to C$180 - Banned in Qu�bec (Apr2008) fines up to C$100.
Chile	Yes
China	Yes	Reported to be covered by general "good driving practice" legislation.
CzechRepublic	Yes
Denmark	Yes	Ban imposed July 1998- US$60 fine for infringements
Egypt	Yes	Fines of about US$100per offence.
Finland	Yes	Ban imposed January2003 - US$55 fine for infringements
France	Yes	Banned 2003, EUR40 fine per infraction
Germany	Yes	Ban imposed Feb. 2001- usage allowed without a hands-free unit only when theengine is switched off. Fine of �40 per infraction
Greece	Yes
Hong Kong	Yes
Hungary	Yes	Not often implementedby the police
India -New Delhi	Yes	New Delhi - Banextended to ban all use of cell phones when driving,including use with a hands-free unit - July 2001 Andhra Pradesh - Ban now enforced with prisonsentences
Ireland	Yes	Banned, with a US$380and/or up to 3 months imprisonment on a third offence.Handsfree kits allowed, although that is subject toreview.
Isle ofMan	Yes	Banned since July 2000
Israel	Yes
Italy	Yes	Fines of up to US$124per infraction
Japan	Yes	Ban imposed Nov. 1999
Jersey	Yes	Ban imposed Feb. 1998
Jordan	Yes	Ban imposed Oct. 2001
Kenya	Yes	Ban imposed late 2001
Malaysia	Yes
Mexico	Partial	Ban in Mexico City
Netherlands	Yes	Fines up to €2,000 or two weeks in jail
NewZealand	Beingdebated	Under debate -consultation being sought from interested parties
Norway	Yes	Fines of over $600 perinfraction
Pakistan	Partial	Banned in Islamabad
Philippines	Yes
Poland	Yes	Fine of PLN200 ($100) - can be higher if contested.
Portugal	Yes
Romania	Yes
Russia	Yes	Ban imposed by PrimeMinister - March 2001
Singapore	Yes
SlovakRepublic	Yes
Slovenia	Yes
SouthAfrica	Yes
SouthKorea	Yes	Ban imposed July 2001- US$47 fine + 15 points on the license.
Spain	Yes
Sweden	No
Switzerland	Yes
Taiwan	Yes	If the driver is usinga reflective screen on the car, local privacy lawsforbid stopping the car for violating the ban.
Thailand	Yes	Bill proposed in May2000
Turkey	Yes
Turkmenistan	Yes	Signed into law witheffect from May 1st 2003, by President SaparmyratTurkmenbasy
UK	Yes	Banned from December2003
Zimbabwe	Yes	Ban imposed in Sept2001, announced via official news agency only though, sonot confirmed

USA states breakdown

State	Banned?	Notes
Alabama	No
Alaska	No
Arkansas	Partial	School busdrivers are banned from using a cell phone.
Arizona	Partial	A bill tointroduce a ban was lost by a 4-3 vote in the SenateTransportation Committee. Bus drivers are banned fromusing a cell phone
California	Yes	Beginning July 1, 2008,violators face a US$20 fine for a first offense and aUS$50 ticket for subsequent infractions. Law passed Sept2007 bans all under-18s from using a phone at all, evenwith handsfree kit.
Colorado	No	Teens with restricted licenses are banned - but can only bestopped for another violation first
Connecticut	Yes	Banned with effect from Oct. 2005 - teens are also forbidden from using handsfree kits while moving
Delaware	No	A drivercan already be prosecuted for "inattentivedriving" - which can include using a cell phone.Studies into the issue have been requested
Districtof Columbia	Yes	Bannedfrom July 2004
Florida	Partial	StateAttorney General said that cities can set localregulations - July 2001. Overturned by Governor Bush..
Georgia	Partial	School bus drivers banned from usingcell phones while driving. DeKalbCounty has fines when crashes can be attributed todriving while using a cellphone.
Hawaii	Beingdebated	A bill hasbeen introduced in Hawaii'slegislature by Sen. Joseph Souki, D-Wailuku-Waiehu.
Idaho	No
Illinois	Partial	School busdrivers are banned - Chicago and Gary City Council havepassed local laws banning driving without a hands-freekit.
Indiana	No	Banproposed by State Sen. Rose Antich Carr - Jan 2004
Iowa	Beingdebated
Kansas	No	Bill tointroduce ban failed in 2000
Kentucky	No
Louisiana	Partial	Teenagers and new drivers are banned - all driversbanned from text messaging only.
Maine	Partial	Minors andthose on learner driving licenses may not use a cellphone while driving
Maryland	No	Bill toban dropped Feb. 2001. New proposal in the House,proposed by Delegates Arnick and Mandel
Massachusetts	Partial	Bill formost users pending - but bus drivers already banned.Drivers required to keep at least one hand on thesteering wheel while holding a phone.
Michigan	No
Minnesota	Partial	Teenagers and provisional drivers are banned - $100 fine plus delays in license upgrades for offenders
Mississippi	No	Legislationprevents local councils enacting their own ban.
Missouri	No
Montana	No
Nebraska	No	Billplanned by State Sen. Jim Cudaback - Jan 2004
Nevada	No	State billto introduce ban failed April 1999. Local bill in ClarkCounty also blocked Nov. 2001. Nevada state passed billbanning local regulations, March 2003.
NewHampshire	Partial	Notexplicitly banned, but you can be prosecuted if using acellphone when involved in an driving accident.
New Jersey	Yes	Banned from 2004, updated from March 2008 - fine US$100.Bill extended June 2008 to include text messaging.
NewMexico	Partial	Beingdebated - local ban in the cities of Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Taos, and Las Vegas
NewYork	Yes	Baneffective from Nov. 2001
NorthCarolina	Beingdebated	Study intothe effects of cell phone usage while driving beingcarried out.
NorthDakota	Beingdebated	Billproposed by Sen. Harvey Tallackson, D-Grafton, Feb 2005
Ohio	Partial	The Cityof Cleveland is discussing a ban. Ban in place inBrooklyn.
Oklahoma	No	Bill tointroduce ban failed in May 1999. Legislation preventslocal councils enacting their own ban.
Oregon	Partial	Ban applies to teenagers only.
Pennsylvania	Partial	Localcities have their own laws - state legislation pending
RhodeIsland	No	GovernorAlmond rejected a ban - July 2001. School buses arebanned from using a cell phone. Proposal for a ban beingdebated, April 2004.
South Carolina	Partial	Bill to ban holders of a beginner's permit, conditional or special restricted driver's license passed by House committee, April 2008
SouthDakota	No
Tennessee	Partial	Schoolbuses are banned from using a cell phone
Texas	No	Senate Bill 154 proposed. If passed would come into effect from 2008. A previous attempt in 2005 failed
Utah	No	Bill tointroduce ban failed March 1998. Highland city planninga ban - Feb 2005
Vermont	No
Virginia	Partial	Bill banning minors passed Jan 2005. Bill banning 16-17yr olds with conditional licenses passed March 2007
Washington	Yes	Ban imposed, to come into effect from July 2008. Driving while sending text messages separately banned with effect from Jan 1st 2008
WestVirginia	No	Billproposed in 1999, but never debated
Wisconsin	No	Bill tointroduce ban failed in April 1998. Bill to ban youngerdrivers only being debated.
Wyoming	No	Billproposed by Rep. Floyd Esquibel but not debated

Last update 5th July 2008