On July 6, 2010, Delaware Governor Jack Markell signed into law a bill banning the use of hand held cell phones, pagers, PDAs, blackberrys, laptops, games or portable computers while driving. Under the new law, which went into effect January 2, 2011, drivers are not allowed to talk without using a hands-free device, read, write or send text messages, email or use the Internet while operating a motor vehicle. Drivers caught using a hand-held device will be fined $106 ($50 base fine with fees) for their first offense, with subsequent penalties reaching up to $350 with fees.

Delaware becomes the 30th State in the nation to have a texting ban, and the 8th to also bans the use of hand held cell phones. No State completely bans the use of cell phones altogether.

Delaware completed its first of three 2 week waves of overtime statewide enforcement last November 2012 which resulted in over 1,800 drivers cited for cell phone use while driving. The enforcement is part of a grant funded pilot project by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The second wave will be conducted from April 9-22, followed by 1 more wave from June 4-17, 2013.

Since the law went into effect there have been over 20,000 cell phone citations issued statewide to-date.

Get the facts:

Cell phone related crashes trend young in Delaware. 54% of these crashes are caused by a person under the age of 30.

Of people under 30, males account for 60% of crashes and females 40%.

Of those aged 19 and under, 56% of those responsible were male and 44% were female.

61% of cell phone related crashes have occurred in New Castle County. 23% have occurred in Sussex County, and 15% have occurred in Kent County.

Friday trends much higher than other days for cell phone related crashes with the next highest days being Wednesday and Thursday.

Cell phone crashes normally increase in rate around lunch time and between 1:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. when bars close.

More information can be found at www.distraction.gov/delaware