Starting July 1, 2018, teens in Tempe and West Chandler had best keep their hands on the wheel and their minds on their driving—not on their cellphone.
Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill dealing with the matter on April 26, taking a historic step toward concluding a decade-long effort to help reduce distracted driving by teenagers in Arizona.
With the new law, Arizona teen drivers will be prohibited from using wireless communication devices, such as a cell phone, while operating a vehicle during the permit period and throughout the first six months of restrictions imposed via the Graduated Driver License Law, except for in emergency situations.
Teen drivers have the highest crash rate of any other age group in the United States, according to studies.
They are also among the most avid users of wireless communication devices.
According to one report, more than half of teen drivers report using a cell phone while driving, a dangerous behavior for both the driver and everyone they share the road with.
