Roadwise States Maryland Driving lessons Distracted driving & cell phones Maryland driving lesson · Dangerous Driving Behaviors
Distracted driving & cell phones A 3-minute lesson from the Maryland course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Read time 3 minutes
Course unit Dangerous Driving Behaviors
Checkpoint questions 6
Source pages 34, 35, 36 Distraction is anything that takes your eyes, your hands, or especially your mind off driving. It causes more police-reported crashes than anything else, and Maryland's phone laws are stricter for young drivers.
Distracted driving Taking your eyes, hands, or especially your mind away from driving.
Handbook p. 34 ↗ Know the rule
Distracted driving causes more crashes reported to the police than anything else.
Handbook p. 34 ↗ Common distractions: Eating and drinking Adjusting the radio or music Adjusting or programming a GPS Dealing with children and pets Loose objects moving in the vehicle Talking and texting on a cell phone Smoking Putting on makeup or shaving Reading Interacting with others in the vehicle Handbook p. 34 ↗ Know the rule
It is illegal to use a hand-held cell phone, including texting, while driving. You may make calls hands-free, without holding the phone.
Handbook p. 35 ↗ If you use a hands-free phone: Use it only in emergencies; have a passenger make the call if possible If you must call, pull safely off the road and stop first Let voicemail answer incoming calls Keep conversations short Handbook p. 35 ↗ Know the rule
If you are under 18, you may not use a cell phone while driving, even hands-free. The only exception is a 911 emergency call.
Handbook p. 35 ↗ Know the rule
Constantly check where other vehicles are in front, behind, and next to you. Staying alert may help you avoid a crash.
Handbook p. 34 ↗ Put it into practice
You're 17 with a Provisional License and your phone is mounted for hands-free calls. A friend calls. You can't answer while driving, even hands-free; only a 911 emergency call is allowed.
A useful reminder 18+: hands-free OK, hand-held never. Under 18: no phone at all while driving, except 911.
Check your understanding Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
What causes more police-reported crashes than anything else, according to the handbook? Speeding Bad weather Distracted driving Vehicle mechanical failure Answer: Distracted driving
Distracted driving causes more crashes reported to police than any other factor.
Handbook p. 34 ↗ Is it legal to use a hand-held cell phone while driving in Maryland? Yes, as long as you're stopped at a light Yes, if you're on a highway Yes, but only for calls under one minute No, hand-held use and texting are illegal Answer: No, hand-held use and texting are illegal
It is illegal to use a hand-held cell phone, including texting, while driving in Maryland.
Handbook p. 35 ↗ Under what circumstance may a driver younger than 18 use a cell phone while driving? Only to make a 911 emergency call Anytime, if hands-free Only while stopped at a red light Only with a parent's permission in the car Answer: Only to make a 911 emergency call
Drivers under 18 may not use a cell phone while driving, even hands-free, except to make a 911 emergency call.
Handbook p. 35 ↗ If you must make a hands-free call while driving, what should you do first? Speed up to finish the call quickly Pull off the road and stop first Pick up the phone briefly to dial Slow down below the speed limit Answer: Pull off the road and stop first
If you must make a call, you should pull safely off the road and stop before making it, even hands-free.
Handbook p. 35 ↗ Which of these is listed as an example of a distracted driving activity? Checking mirrors before changing lanes Signaling before a turn Adjusting the radio or programming a GPS Scanning the road ahead Answer: Adjusting the radio or programming a GPS
The handbook lists adjusting the radio, programming a GPS, eating, and texting among distracted driving examples.
Handbook p. 34 ↗ Distracted driving only involves taking your hands off the wheel, not your eyes or mind. True False Answer: False
Distracted driving includes taking your eyes, hands, or especially your mind away from driving.
Handbook p. 34 ↗ Previous lesson Aggressive driving & road rage Next lesson Drowsy driving More in Dangerous Driving Behaviors About the source Roadwise’s Maryland course uses the driver handbook edition supplied with this study pack. This lesson cites source pages 34, 35, 36. The linked PDF is a third-party mirror of the handbook, rather than a government-hosted page.
Open the handbook source PDF · View the source edition
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