July means new laws for some states

July is right around the corner. For some it means celebrating the Fourth of July, for others it means summer is half way over, but for teens in Iowa it means no more using a cell phone while driving.

July is a big month for distracted driving. Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska and Wyoming will join Iowa by putting their own anti-texting-while-driving laws into effect next month.

Texas teens, who are under 18, are banned from using their cell phone or any electronic device when they are driving. The law was passed last year, and went into effect September 1, 2009.

Twenty-eight states have some sort of law banning distracted driving. For some it is strictly texting, for others it is cell phones and electronic devices. But you don’t have to wait for a law to pass in your state, to stop driving distracted.

Here are a few simple tips on how to break the habit of texting or talking while driving:

• When you’re driving, get your phone out of the front seat. Put it in the backseat or even in the trunk, if need be.
• Turn off your cell phone. Your friends can leave a voicemail, and that text message will still be there after you arrive at your destination.
• Before getting in your car, send out a group text that says “I’ll be driving for the next 15 minutes, so please don’t text or call me.”
• If it’s absolutely necessary for you to be on the phone, pull over to the side of the road, to make your call.

To learn more about the dangers for talking or texting on your cell phone, check out the distractions page.