Who Has Banned Cell Phones?

Find out which countries around the world have banned cell phone use. Learn some of the dangers involved in cell phone use while driving and about studies that show that talking on your cell while driving is at least as dangerous as driving drunk.

The list of countries that have a ban on cell phones while driving is really long. Why is America so far behind the rest of the world in recognizing how dangerous it is to talk or text on cell phones while operating a motor vehicle? Cell phone use is distracting, even if you don't realize it. Your mind is concentrating on your conversation, not on the road.

Take a look around you next time you are driving. You can see people talking on cell phones all around you. Some are even carrying on a very animated conversation. Heads bobbing, arms waving...does it look like they are paying attention to the road or the other vehicles around them?


Here is a list of each country that has banned cell phone use in cars so far. Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, China, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, UK and Zimbabwe.

This long list doesn't include countries like Canada where it's illegal to use a cell phone while driving in Newfoundland and in Quebec or India, where talking on a cell phone is banned in New Delhi and Andhra Pradesh. It's also illegal in Mexico City, Mexico and in Islamabad,Pakistan.

Some of these cell phone while driving bans came about as early as 1998. Most carry monetary fines from as low as $22.00 to as much as $600.00. A few countries impose a jail sentence as well as the fines and or points.

Here in the United States many Americans support banning cell phones in cars, but most states haven't enacted this practice into law as of yet. The states that do have a ban on cell phone use while driving are California. Most of us are aware of that state's law because of the Maria Shriver incident. The wife of Governor Arnold Swartzenager , Maria Shriver, was photographed driving while on the phone. Connecticut, the District of Columbia and my home state of New Jersey all have cell phone bans. Our neighbor New York, and the far off state of Washington both have bans in effect.

There are several states in the U.S. that have a partial ban on cell phone use for drivers. Some of them are specific to school bus drivers, some to just any old bus driver. That's a job where you have got to already be somewhat distracted by the kids on the bus...never mind the phone too. Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii all have partial bans. Illinois does too, state wide for bus drivers and in Chicago and Gary...unless it's on a hands free set. In Louisiana the ban is on for teenagers and new drivers, while in Maine it's against the law for minors and those on drivers permit...unless your texting, which is totally banned in Maine. In Minnesota there is a partial ban on for teenagers and provisional drivers, who could face a fine of $100.00 and it will delay any license upgrades for offenders. New Hampshire has a partial ban and in New Mexico the driving and cell phone use ban is in effect in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Taos, and Las Vegas. (Never knew there was a Las Vegas in New Mexico...you do learn something new everyday!) The city of Brooklyn in Ohio has a ban in place and so do some cities in Pennsylvania. Another partial ban is in effect in South Carolina, Tennessee and finally, in Virginia.

Partial bans are a beginning, but those states have a long way to go before cell phone usage while driving is completely banned. And then there are the rest of the states where there isn't even a partial ban.

Only six of our states, California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington have a ban in effect that prohibits all drivers from talking on a hand held cell phone. About 17 states prohibit school bus drivers from talking on a cell while driving.

A cell phone is a huge distraction and according to a new insurance company survey the majority of Americans are all for a ban on talking or texting on a cell phone or Blackberry while driving. The National Safety Council say studies have shown that talking on a cell phone is as dangerous as driving drunk. Phone use multiplies the risk of an accident, that risk is four times greater for cell phone users.

Other studies, including one from the Harvard Center of Risk tells us that cell phone use while driving is responsible for 6 percent of car crashes. 6 percent of the totals of these accidents equal 636,000 car crashes, 330,000 injuries of which 12,000 are serious injuries. Then there is the total deaths from these crashes which equal 2,600 deaths. And that is each year plus the $43 billion cost of all these crashes.

Cell phone use while driving is distracting and dangerous. Keep yourself, your family and your vehicle safe while your on the road. Stay off your cell phone and let your state representative know you are all for banning cell phones while driving in your state.