Hands free phone/no texting while driving are Federal rules for commercial drivers, no state by state variation allowed on that.
Unless something changed this year, PA allows phone use while driving, no hands free requirement.
Any use is distracting, holding one to the ear or texting seems the worst. Enforcement might not be too harsh where there are laws, but it's adequate to make a difference. Crossing the border to PA I really notice how many are on the phone. Occasionally count when I am thinking about it, and 8 out of 10 (80% use) on the freeway is common. Percentage use drops in "country" areas, it's worse in "city" areas where traffic is heaviest & distractions are more likely to cause an accident.
Glad the car saved you (ride a Cycle as well) there have been cases of minimal enforcement after motorcycle riders were hit or killed in similar circumstances.
Enforcement
In my experience, enforcement is almost nonexistent in DFW. It's actually getting worse and more dangerous by the day. When I see someone texting, I will motion to them to put their phone down. The usual response? I get flipped off.
The average cost of a DWI conviction is $10,000 by the time you pay a lawyer, court costs, fines, lost wages, increased insurance premiums etc. And yet a ticket for texting is a joke. The Texas legislature passed a law that would have imposed a $100 fine and misdemeanor traffic ticket for drivers and it
was vetoed by governor Perry. And texting is more dangerous than driving drunk. So it is basically the wild west down here.
Across Texas, the total costs of a DWI arrest and conviction range from $5,000 to $24,000 for a first time offense.
Levy a fine and sentencing equal to DUI/DWI and see how many people want to keep using their precious cell phones while they are piloting a 3,000 pound missile down the road.
