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Distracted Driving Laws Nationally and in Indiana

Each day in the United States, more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,153 people are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Distracted driving is driving while doing another activity that takes your attention away from driving. Distracted driving can increase the chance of a motor vehicle crash. Lawmakers at both the national and state level have taken measures to cut down on these incidents by enacting laws that make it a crime to use phones and other electronics while driving.

Nationally, President Barack Obama signed an executive order that prohibits all federal employees from texting while driving on government business or while using government equipment. Also, in 2010, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration barred all commercial vehicle drivers from texting while driving.

But what about in the state of Indiana?

Here are some relevant distracted driving laws (and lack of laws).

  1. Drivers under the age of 18 are subject to a complete cell phone ban. A violation is a primary offense, meaning that no other offense must have occurred for the police to stop the driver.           
  2. Indiana law prohibits all drivers from texting while driving. A violation is a primary offense.
  3. Unlike other states, there is no ban on cell phone use by school bus drivers.
  4. Indiana law currently does not have a handheld cell phone ban. Indiana is in the majority, as only 12 states have enacted bans on handheld cell phone use.

INVOLVED IN AN INDIANA ACCIDENT?

Contact the Fort Wayne Accident Lawyers at the Sweeney Law firm for a free case evaluation.