That's not a ring tone. It's a siren.
In some places, cruising down the highway while texting on your cell phone now can hold the same consequences as downing a martini before jumping behind the wheel. In other areas, simply having a phone to your ear can merit a stop.
The federal government is ramping up an educational campaign against "distracted driving," reinforced by an array of new state laws against texting or talking on a cell phone while driving. Some penalize the behavior; others even criminalize it.
It's not a small problem: Nearly 6,000 people died in crashes involving distracted driving in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That's 16% of all traffic fatalities for that year. In addition, 500,000 were injured in 2008 in accidents involving some form of driver distraction, the U.S. Department of Transportation reports.
Cell phone use affects a driver's reactions as much as having a blood-alcohol level of 0.08% -- the legal threshold for driving while intoxicated -- a University of Utah study has indicated.
Despite the potential dangers, more than two-thirds of people in a 2009 AAA survey admitted talking on a cell phone while driving.
Local jurisdictions in many states have introduced laws clamping down on distracted drivers. In all but six states, local jurisdictions can pass additional restrictions.
- Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have banned texting while driving outright or have enacted limited texting bans.
- Novice drivers are banned from texting in nine states.
- Six states and the District of Columbia have banned handheld cell phones for all drivers.
- The use of all cell phones, handheld or otherwise, by novice drivers is restricted in 21 states and the District of Columbia.
- The use of all cell phones while driving a school bus with passengers is prohibited in 17 states and the District of Columbia.
On Tuesday, a federal law went into effect prohibiting commercial bus and truck drivers from texting while driving. The measure carries penalties of up to $2,750.
A patchwork of laws
The consequences of breaking cell phone driving laws vary by state. In five states, drivers can be pulled over for using a cell phone illegally without first committing another offense, such as speeding. Texting while driving is a primary offense in 17 states.
In Missouri, for example, sending messages while driving is a primary offense for drivers under 21. Offenders can be fined up to $200 and get two points against their licenses.
In New York or Connecticut, you can get pulled over and ticketed just for holding your phone while driving.
There have been cases with more extreme consequences. A Seattle man was recently sentenced to five years in prison for vehicular homicide because he was texting while driving when he hit and killed a bicyclist. According to The Seattle Times, the prosecutor used phone records to prove the accident occurred while the driver was sending a text.
Continued: Enforcement can be difficult