Your Phone Behind the Wheel
23 V.S.A. § 1095b — no handheld use while driving on a public highway, even stopped at a light
No one may use a portable electronic device, other than hands-free, while operating a moving vehicle, or on a public highway even while stopped for traffic, a signal or another temporary delay. A navigation system installed by the maker or securely mounted is allowed.
- Texting, reading or composing messages, is barred on the same terms.
- A first violation carries a civil penalty of $100 to $200, and a second within two years $250 to $500.
- Outside the specially marked areas, a conviction adds two points to the driving record.
- A driver who has pulled off the highway to a place where the car can safely and lawfully stay is not operating.
A driver under 18 may not use any portable electronic device while driving, hands-free or not, except to reach police or emergency services in an emergency.
Sources for this section (3)
- 23 V.S.A. § 1095b — Handheld use of portable electronic device prohibited
- 23 V.S.A. § 1099 — Texting prohibited
- 23 V.S.A. § 1095a — Junior operator use of portable electronic devices
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Vermont attorney.