If you get a ticket for texting and driving, it’s possible your car insurance rate could go up, but how much your rates increase depends on the state laws and your insurance company.
Most states have laws against texting while driving, but there are some states with no statewide laws against it. Some laws ban texting behind the wheel for novice drivers, and cities within those states have passed local ordinances banning texting and driving.
Keep reading to learn how a texting ticket affects your car insurance rates.
How much does texting while driving ticket increase auto insurance premiums?
A driver texting ticket can increase your rates by an average of 27% or $516 yearly, according to a rate analysis by CarInsurance.com. However, this percentage can be higher or lower depending on your insurance company and the state where you live.
Insurance companies assess risk based on a driver’s history and texting while driving indicates risky behavior behind the wheel. As a result, your insurer may hike your premiums to account for the increased risk.
Residents of Arizona, California, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina and Washington all face more than $500 increases following a texting ticket.
The table below shows how much car insurance rates increase after texting tickets in different states.
| State | Average car insurance rate | Average insurance rate after a texting ticket | Percent increase | Dollar increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $1,286 | $1,531 | 19% | $245 |
| Alabama | $1,503 | $1,786 | 19% | $283 |
| Arkansas | $1,475 | $1,893 | 28% | $418 |
| Arizona | $1,665 | $2,192 | 32% | $527 |
| California | $2,206 | $3,200 | 45% | $994 |
| Colorado | $1,970 | $2,345 | 19% | $375 |
| Connecticut | $1,461 | $1,613 | 10% | $152 |
| Washington, D.C. | $1,909 | $2,163 | 13% | $254 |
| Delaware | $1,730 | $2,009 | 16% | $278 |
| Florida | $2,927 | $3,601 | 23% | $674 |
| Georgia | $1,597 | $1,927 | 21% | $331 |
| Hawaii | $1,309 | $1,501 | 15% | $193 |
| Iowa | $1,241 | $1,570 | 27% | $329 |
| Idaho | $1,015 | $1,203 | 19% | $188 |
| Illinois | $1,368 | $1,802 | 32% | $434 |
| Indiana | $1,279 | $1,702 | 33% | $422 |
| Kansas | $1,488 | $1,805 | 21% | $318 |
| Kentucky | $1,857 | $2,239 | 21% | $382 |
| Louisiana | $3,121 | $4,080 | 31% | $959 |
| Massachusetts | $1,760 | $2,170 | 23% | $410 |
| Maryland | $1,981 | $2,479 | 25% | $499 |
| Maine | $1,072 | $1,338 | 25% | $266 |
| Michigan | $4,013 | $5,044 | 26% | $1,031 |
| Minnesota | $1,699 | $2,049 | 21% | $349 |
| Missouri | $2,403 | $2,882 | 20% | $479 |
| Mississippi | $1,407 | $1,746 | 24% | $339 |
| Montana | $1,766 | $2,146 | 22% | $380 |
| North Carolina | $1,396 | $1,942 | 39% | $545 |
| North Dakota | $1,239 | $1,436 | 16% | $198 |
| Nebraska | $1,861 | $2,074 | 11% | $213 |
| New Hampshire | $949 | $1,169 | 23% | $220 |
| New Jersey | $2,228 | $3,192 | 43% | $964 |
| New Mexico | $1,686 | $1,992 | 18% | $306 |
| Nevada | $2,371 | $2,953 | 25% | $582 |
| New York | $1,822 | $1,973 | 8% | $151 |
| Ohio | $1,110 | $1,413 | 27% | $303 |
| Oklahoma | $1,836 | $2,280 | 24% | $444 |
| Oregon | $1,461 | $1,932 | 32% | $471 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,297 | $1,437 | 11% | $140 |
| Rhode Island | $1,793 | $2,250 | 26% | $458 |
| South Carolina | $1,804 | $2,245 | 24% | $441 |
| South Dakota | $1,585 | $1,870 | 18% | $285 |
| Tennessee | $1,308 | $1,591 | 22% | $283 |
| Texas | $1,969 | $2,408 | 22% | $439 |
| Utah | $1,582 | $1,913 | 21% | $331 |
| Virginia | $1,230 | $1,528 | 24% | $298 |
| Vermont | $1,081 | $1,306 | 21% | $225 |
| Washington | $1,325 | $1,825 | 38% | $501 |
| Wisconsin | $1,587 | $2,083 | 31% | $495 |
| West Virginia | $1,413 | $1,679 | 19% | $266 |
| Wyoming | $1,812 | $1,951 | 8% | $139 |
Texting while driving laws by state
In 48 states, texting while driving is prohibited for all drivers. Missouri has a texting ban only for novice drivers (younger than 21 years old). Montana is another state without established texting-while-driving laws. But in states with no statewide driver texting ban for all drivers, the practice is prohibited under local city laws and sometimes for novice drivers.
Below are the state laws for cell phone use, including the states that have laws against texting while driving.
| State Name | Hand-held ban | All cellphone ban | Texting ban | License points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | All drivers | Drivers age 16 and 17 who have held an intermediate license for less than 6 months. | All drivers | 2 point |
| Alaska | No | No | All drivers | No |
| Arizona | All drivers | Learner’s permit holders and intermediate license holders during the first 6 months after licensing | All drivers | No |
| Arkansas | Drivers ages 18 to 20 years of age; school and highway work zones | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | No |
| California | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | No |
| Colorado | No | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | 4 points |
| Connecticut | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | No |
| Delaware | All drivers | Learner’s permit and intermediate license holders | All drivers | No |
| District of Columbia | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | No |
| Florida | Drivers in school and work zones | No | All drivers | 3 points for second offense; 6 points if accident |
| Georgia | All drivers | No | All drivers | 1 point |
| Hawaii | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | All Drivers | No |
| Idaho | No | No | All Drivers | No |
| Illinois | All drivers | Drivers younger than 19 who hold a learner’s permit or intermediate license | All drivers | No |
| Indiana | All drivers | Drivers younger than 21 | All drivers | No |
| Iowa | No | Learner’s permit and intermediate license holders | All drivers | No |
| Kansas | No | Learner’s permit and intermediate license holders | All drivers | No |
| Kentucky | No | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | 3 points |
| Louisiana | Drivers in signed school zones; with respect to novice drivers | All novice drivers | All drivers | No |
| Maine | All drivers | Learner’s permit and intermediate license holders | All drivers | No |
| Maryland | All drivers | Drivers under 18 | All drivers | 1 point for third offense |
| Massachusetts | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | No |
| Michigan | All drivers (effective 06/30/23) | Learner’s permit and intermediate license holders (level 1 and 2) (effective 06/30/23) | All drivers | No |
| Minnesota | All drivers | Learner’s permit holders and provisional license holders during the first 12 months after licensing | All drivers | No |
| Mississippi | No | No | All drivers | No |
| Missouri | No | No | Drivers 21 years or younger. | No |
| Montana | No | No | No | No |
| Nebraska | No | Learner’s permit and intermediate license holders younger than 18 | All drivers | 3 points |
| Nevada | All drivers | No | All drivers | 4 points for second offense |
| New Hampshire | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | No |
| New Jersey | All drivers | Learner’s permit and intermediate license holders | All drivers | 3 points for third offense |
| New Mexico | No | Learner’s permit and intermediate license holders. | All Drivers | No |
| New York | All drivers | No | All drivers | 5 points |
| North Carolina | No | Drivers younger than 18 and school bus drivers | All drivers | No |
| North Dakota | No | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | No |
| Ohio | No | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | No |
| Oklahoma | Learner’s permit and intermediate license holders | No | All drivers | No |
| Oregon | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | No |
| Pennsylvania | No | No | All drivers | No |
| Rhode Island | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | No |
| South Carolina | No | No | All drivers | No |
| South Dakota | No | Learner’s permit and intermediate license holders | All drivers | No |
| Tennessee | All drivers | Learner’s permit and intermediate license holders | All drivers | No |
| Texas | Drivers in school crossing zones | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | No |
| Utah | No | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | No |
| Vermont | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 | All drivers | 4 points for school construction zones, 5 points for second offense |
| Virginia | All drivers | No | All drivers | 3 points |
| Washington | All drivers | Learner’s permit and intermediate license holders. | All drivers | No |
| West Virginia | All drivers | Drivers younger than 18 who hold either a learner’s permit or an intermediate license | All drivers | 3 points for third offense |
| Wisconsin | Drivers in highway construction areas | Learner’s permit or intermediate license holder | All drivers | 4 points |
| Wyoming | No | No | All drivers | No |
Texting while driving is common despite laws
Texting while driving is indeed a dangerous and irresponsible behavior. According to NHTSA, texting while driving is considered the most dangerous distraction on the road.
Using a cell phone while driving significantly increases the likelihood of accidents, injuries and fatalities. In 2021, distracted driving caused 3,522 motor vehicle crash-related deaths.
Most states have enacted laws prohibiting texting and driving. Many states banned all cell phone use while driving and if caught, you may face the following consequences:
- Fines
- License suspension
- Imprisonment in cases of injury or death
- Higher insurance rates
Texting while driving rates by company
Among the carriers analyzed, Erie Insurance offers the lowest car insurance rates to drivers after a texting violation, with a 13% or $179 increase in yearly premiums. Conversely, Progressive increases car insurance rates by 43% after a texting violation, resulting in a hefty increase of $834.
Here’s what you can expect to pay if convicted of texting and driving.
| Company Name | Average Clean Record Rate | Average Rate After Texting Ticket | Percent Increase | Dollar Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | $1,272 | $1,491 | 17% | $219 |
| Erie Insurance | $1,335 | $1,514 | 13% | $179 |
| Geico | $1,352 | $1,741 | 29% | $389 |
| Auto-Owners | $1,651 | $1,752 | 6% | $102 |
| State Farm | $1,672 | $1,896 | 13% | $224 |
| Nationwide | $1,523 | $1,947 | 28% | $424 |
| American Family | $1,738 | $2,139 | 23% | $401 |
| Travelers | $1,882 | $2,616 | 39% | $733 |
| Progressive | $1,933 | $2,767 | 43% | $834 |
| Mercury Insurance | $2,092 | $2,926 | 40% | $835 |
| Auto Club Entreprises (AAA) | $2,313 | $2,950 | 28% | $637 |
| Allstate | $2,513 | $2,955 | 18% | $442 |
| Kemper Insurance | $2,604 | $3,257 | 25% | $653 |
| Farmers | $2,740 | $3,866 | 41% | $1,127 |
Compare car insurance rates after a violation
Each insurer calculates risk differently. Some will consider a first texting violation a minor offense and let it go. That’s why it always pays to compare quotes when shopping for a policy to determine which company has the best rates for your particular situation.
You can save up to $1,025 yearly on a full coverage policy by comparing rates in your state after receiving a texting ticket, according to CarInsurance.com’s analysis.
FAQs: Texting and driving tickets
Is a cell phone ticket a moving violation?
Yes, in many states, a cell phone ticket is considered a moving violation. If caught using your cell phone while driving, you may receive a ticket and have points added to your driver’s license. Cell phone laws and penalties vary in the state.
Does a cell phone ticket go on your driving record?
In most cases, a cell phone ticket will go on your driving record. When you receive a ticket for using a cell phone while driving, it is generally treated like other traffic violations and may result in points being added to your driver’s license in some states.
How many points does a cell phone ticket add to a driver’s license?
The number of points a cell phone ticket adds to a driver’s license varies depending on the state and its specific laws. For instance, In California, the texting while driving violation does not add any point to your license unless you’re a repeat offender.
Resources & Methodology
Methodology
To analyze the data, we have compared 50,00,736 insurance quotes of 27 company groups across 548 cities and 1,467 ZIP codes.
CarInsurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to field rates from major insurers for a driver 40-year-old driving a Honda Accord LX with a good credit score carrying full coverage car insurance of limit 100/300/100 with a $500 deductible.
– Michelle Megna contributed to this story.
Sources
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “Cellphone use laws by state.” Accessed June 2023.
- Governors Highway Safety Association. “Distracted Driving.” Accessed June 2023.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Distracted Driving.” Accessed June 2023.
- NHTSA. “Distracted Driving.” Accessed June 2023.
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