Arizona has strict laws against texting and driving to ensure everyone’s safety on the roads. If you’re caught texting while driving, you’ll face fines and potential points on your driving record. This doesn’t just include sending or reading texts; it also covers activities such as emailing, manually dialing phone numbers, or using apps while behind the wheel. For a first-time offense, you could face fines ranging from $75 to $149, and repeated violations can increase fines up to $250. Additionally, these penalties may impact your insurance rates, making driving significantly more expensive.
How Much is a Ticket for Texting or Being on the Phone in Arizona?
- First Offense: A first-time violation results in fines ranging from $75 to $149. Although Arizona doesn’t currently assign points for texting and driving, repeated violations lead to higher fines and increased scrutiny by insurance providers.
- Fine: $75 – $149 (first violation)
- Points on Record: 10 points
- Second Offense: Additional violations can lead to fines up to $250, further negative impacts on your driving record, including higher insurance premiums, and possible suspensions if combined with other infractions.
- Fine: Up to $250 (subsequent violations)
Texting while driving in areas such as school zones or active construction sites could result in increased fines due to heightened risks to pedestrians and workers.
If texting while driving results in an accident, you may face additional charges, such as reckless driving or negligence, significantly elevating fines, potential license suspension, and civil liability. The financial and legal consequences can be severe.
Commercial drivers face similar penalties, with fines up to $250 and significant consequences, including the possible suspension of their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) if violations accumulate. Companies employing commercial drivers are responsible for enforcing adherence to Arizona and federal regulations, potentially facing substantial fines if drivers are found to violate texting and driving laws.
Penalties for Causing a Fatality While Texting and Driving in Arizona
In Arizona, causing a fatality due to texting and driving can result in severe criminal charges, including vehicular manslaughter or negligent homicide, both of which carry significant penalties.
- Vehicular Manslaughter: Involves causing death due to reckless driving behavior, such as texting. This charge can lead to imprisonment ranging from 4 to 10 years and substantial fines.
- Negligent Homicide: Causing death through criminal negligence while texting can result in penalties of up to 3.75 years in prison and fines of $150,000.
Drivers at fault may also face civil lawsuits from victims’ families, creating further financial and legal responsibilities.
Distracted Driving Laws in Arizona
All penalties related to texting and driving in Arizona fall under Arizona Revised Statutes § 28-914. The law explicitly prohibits:
- Sending or reading texts or emails
- Manually dialing phone numbers
- Browsing the internet or using apps
- Holding or supporting any electronic device while driving
These infractions are primary offenses, allowing law enforcement to stop and cite drivers based solely on observing these violations.
Exceptions for texting while driving
Arizona law allows limited exceptions to ensure safety and convenience:
- Hands-Free Systems: Drivers can use voice-activated or Bluetooth systems without physically holding devices.
- Lawfully Parked or Stopped: Drivers may use devices when legally parked or stopped off the roadway.
- Emergency Situations: Device use is permitted when reporting an emergency or hazardous road condition.
A separate category of exceptions covers specific roles and occupational uses under § 28-914(C):
- Emergency responders and law enforcement: Officers, and operators of authorized emergency or probation vehicles, are exempt while acting in an official capacity.
- FCC-licensed radio operators: Someone operating a radio frequency device other than a portable wireless communication device under an FCC license is exempt.
- Two-way radio and fleet/CDL use: Operators using a two-way radio or private land mobile radio system while performing work-related duties in a fleet vehicle, or who hold a commercial driver license, are exempt.
- Dispatch- or app-affixed devices: A device permanently or temporarily mounted in the vehicle to relay information between the driver and a dispatcher, or a digital network or software application service, is exempt when used for occupational duties. This is the exception that generally covers rideshare and delivery drivers using a dash-mounted device connected to their dispatch app.
These guidelines help drivers stay connected responsibly without compromising safety. Always use these tips to ensure compliance and maintain safety on Arizona roads.
Statistics on Texting While Driving Accidents in Arizona
Finally, texting while driving is not something to ignore. It has become one of the most dangerous distractions on U.S. roads, contributing to a growing number of accidents each year. According to recent NHTSA data, distracted driving, including texting, was a factor in over 11% of all reported traffic accidents, and 8 % of fatal crashes in 2022 were caused by distracted drivers.
Arizona’s own 2024 crash data adds a more specific, and more sobering, angle. Of the 236,193 drivers involved in reported crashes that year, ADOT coded 627 as “manually operating an electronic device,” 261 as “talking on a hand-held device,” 187 as “talking on a hands-free device,” and 1,008 under “other activity with an electronic device”. All together made about 1% of all drivers in crashes statewide, and almost exactly the same share, 16 of 1,816 drivers, in fatal crashes. But ADOT couldn’t determine whether distraction played a role at all for 19% of drivers statewide, and that “unknown” share jumps to nearly half of all drivers in fatal crashes (49.3%). That gap matters: the confirmed numbers above are likely a floor, not a ceiling, since a fatal crash often leaves no surviving driver to explain what happened.
What to Do if You Are Involved in a Texting and Driving Accident
If involved in a texting and driving accident, prioritize safety first by checking for injuries and seeking immediate medical attention; even minor symptoms can indicate significant injuries. Report the accident promptly to law enforcement to document the incident accurately.
Proving distraction due to texting is crucial in Arizona. Securing evidence such as phone records, witness accounts, and police reports significantly strengthens your case. Engaging an experienced Arizona personal injury attorney familiar with distracted driving cases is essential. They can guide you through Arizona’s legal system, ensuring you meet all deadlines, effectively handle insurance negotiations, and pursue compensation for medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and emotional distress.
Our car accident attorneys are here to assist you, protecting your rights and fighting for the compensation you deserve.
But try to avoid accidents and ensure safety, always stay focused on the road by keeping your phone out of reach, setting your device to silent mode, and preparing your GPS route before starting your journey. Have a safe driving!