• Don't text while driving.texting a message on pda device image by Paul Hill from Fotolia.com
  
  Text messaging is a form of communication using cell phones to type and send messages up to 150 characters long. As texting and cell phone technology evolve, so do the laws governing its use. A study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute reveals that drivers who text behind the wheel are 23 percent more likely to get into an accident.
  
  In October 2009 the Obama Administration effected a ban on texting while driving for all federal employees and those operating federally owned vehicles. Many states and localities have bans on texting while driving, including those with laws regarding novice drivers. The penalties for driving while texting vary from state to state. In California, for example, you will be charged $20 for your first offense and $50 for each subsequent offense. Laws are always changing, so check your local and state ordinances for information specific to your area.
  
  

National Laws

• Currently, there are no national laws banning texting while driving for all U.S. citizens. However, there is a ban on federal employees texting while driving on official business, in federally owned cars or while using federally owned devices. Some police and other law enforcement officials are exempt from the ban.
  
  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides guidelines to help states enact texting while driving bans of their own. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration banned commercial truck drivers and bus drivers texting while driving their big rigs in January 2010.
  
  

State Texting While Driving Bans for All Drivers

• The following states have bans on texting while driving for all drivers: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, according to a map published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
  
  More states will likely follow suit since the NHTSA has enacted guidelines to assist states in banning texting while driving. Check your local and state ordinances for current information on your area.
  
  

Novice Driver Texting While Driving Bans

• According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the following nine states have bans on texting for drivers with learner's permits, intermediate licenses, and/or drivers under 18: Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas and West Virginia. Enforcement policies differ from state to state, so check your local and state ordinances for accurate and current information.