Put your phone down and your head
up.” Effective October 1, 2014, using a handheld cell phone while driving in
Vermont is illegal.
The ban covers all portable
electronic devices, including, music players, laptop computers, and cellular
telephones. The only exception is when
a driver needs to communicate in an emergency situation with law enforcement or
emergency service personal.
You may us hands-free devices
(meaning without the use of either hand and outside the immediate proximity of
the user’s ear) by utilizing an internal feature-such as Bluetooth. The device must be in a cradle or otherwise
securely mounted in the vehicle.
It’ll cost you to ignore this
law:
- Violations shall
be subject to a fine of not less than $100.00 and not more than $200.00
for a first violation, and of not less than $250.00 and not more than
$500.00 for a second or subsequent violation within any two-year period. - And violations
within a properly designated work zone in which construction, maintenance,
or utility personnel are present shall have two points assessed against
his or her driving record for a first conviction and five points assessed
for a second or subsequent conviction.
A violation outside a work zone in which personnel are present
shall not have points assessed against his or her driving record.
For more information go to
the Vermont’s Highway Safety website and check out “Phones
down. Heads up.”
