In West Virginia alone, there are more than 50,000 car accidents every year. Most of these car accidents are entirely preventable because they are caused by distracted driving.

In West Virginia, 26% of all accidents are caused by distracted driving, and cell phone use accounts for 23% of all distracted driving cases – which is why there is a West Virginia cell phone law.

Drinking, eating, and smoking are responsible for another 23%.

If you look at the statistics, it’s not hard to see that distracted driving is a serious problem.

So, what constitutes distracted driving? And what do the laws in West Virginia say about it?

What Counts as Distracted Driving?

Any distraction or activity that takes your attention away from the road or driving is considered distracted driving. There are three types of distractions – they are visual, manual, and cognitive.

Visual Distractions

A visual distraction can be anything that takes your attention off the road – this can be looking at yourself in the review mirror, looking over at your kids in the backseat, or looking at your phone or GPS.

Manual Distractions

A manual distraction can be anything that causes you to remove your hands off your steering wheel – this can be smoking, eating, reaching for something in your car, or typing a text message on your phone.

Cognitive Distractions

Any distraction or activity that causes you to lose concentration or take your mind off driving is a cognitive distraction – this can be talking to a passenger, daydreaming, or going over your to-do lists in your head.

What Are the Current Laws?

Although it’s impossible to avoid every possible distraction while driving, you should always keep distractions at a minimum to reduce the chances of causing an accident.

The current laws in West Virginia have been geared to specifically target cell phone use – especially texting while driving – because it creates visual, manual, and cognitive distractions for drivers. 

In 2013, West Virginia passed laws to decrease distracted driving caused by speaking or texting on cell phones. Typing, reading, and sending emails or text messages while driving is strictly prohibited.

Using handheld cell phones is prohibited for all drivers, and drivers who are under the age of 18 or possess learner’s permits are not allowed to use any wireless communication device while driving – which even includes hands-free sets.

What Are the Exceptions?

Distracted driving laws in West Virginia do not apply to firefighters, medical technicians, law enforcement officers, and other authorities – this is because they need to use communication devices to perform their jobs effectively.

There are some exceptions to the distracted driving laws for citizens, too. Drivers are permitted to touch their communication devices while driving when they are activating or deactivating the hands-free mode. They can also send text messages if they can type hands-free by using voice-to-text features on their phones.

Other exceptions are when drivers communicate with authorities when reporting a fire, road hazard, medical emergency, or traffic accident.

The Bottom Line

Distracted driving is a huge problem in West Virginia and everywhere in the U.S.

And, while eating a burger or checking your makeup while driving is not technically illegal, it can put you and other drivers at risk of getting involved in an accident.

Never use your cell phone while driving, and keep distractions to a minimum– for your sake and the safety of others.