InsuranceQuotes.com has released a list of the ranks of the states that have the toughest consequences for texting while driving, and California drivers came in fourth among the ten hardest hitting.
The Austin, Texas-based InsuranceQuotes.com is an organization that provides comparison quotes for insurance policies over the internet. It performed the review of the bans that have been put into place in Washington D.C. and 35 of the states.
Their news release reported on the company’s examination of the penalties and fines that are issued to drivers who are caught texting on their mobile devices while they’re behind the wheel.
Leading the list with the harshest penalties was Utah, which had the second-highest fine for texting while driving, which was $750. The reason that Utah came in first even though its fine was not the highest was that the state also has a provision which dictates that beyond the fine, a motorist who texts when behind the vehicle is in operation could also face an additional fine of up to $10,000 and up to 15 years in jail should an accident occur while taking part in the illegal behavior.
Furthermore, if the texting behavior leads to death, in Utah, that driver will also be charged with a third-degree felony and may have additional fines and jail time tacked on to the sentencing.
According to the report, the states ranked as follows:
10. Oregon
9. Michigan
8. Georgia
7. North Dakota
6. Connecticut
5. New York
4. California
3. Wisconsin
2. Illinois
1. Utah
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