Connecticut's New Distracted Driving Law: Phones, Screens, Fines
Can you hold your phone at a red light in Connecticut?
No. Since October 1, 2026, Connecticut drivers may not hold or support a phone with any part of the body, and a stop at a red light still counts as driving. Drivers 18 and older may use a phone only in hands-free mode. Drivers under 18 may not use one at all, except to talk about an emergency. Fines are $200, $375 and $625.
Where the Connecticut phone rules come from
The rules come from Public Act 26-63, section 31, which replaced Connecticut General Statutes section 14-296aa. The work zone rule comes from Public Act 26-120. The teen license suspension comes from section 14-111 of the 2026 Supplement. The Office of Legislative Research summary confirms the October 1, 2026 date. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Connecticut DMV (portal.ct.gov/dmv) before you drive.
What the new Connecticut law bans and allows
| Action | Drivers 18 and older | Drivers under 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Hold or support a phone with any part of your body | Banned | Banned |
| Use a phone in hands-free mode (voice or audio, one touch or swipe to start or stop) | Allowed | Banned, except to talk about an emergency |
| Read, view or type a text message | Banned | Banned |
| Watch a video or moving image you can see from the driving seat | Banned, except a navigation map on a mounted screen and backup or driving-aid views | Banned, except a navigation map on a mounted installed screen and backup or driving-aid views |
| Call to report an emergency | Allowed | Allowed |
Is a red light or a traffic jam still "driving"?
Yes. The law says that operating a motor vehicle includes being temporarily stationary because of traffic, road conditions or a traffic control sign or signal. So you may not pick up your phone at a red light, at a stop sign or in a traffic jam. You are not driving when you are parked on the side or shoulder of a road where the vehicle can safely stay stationary.
What counts as a mobile electronic device?
- The law covers any hand-held or portable equipment that can send data between people. The list includes a mobile telephone, a laptop and video game equipment.
- Audio equipment, equipment installed in the vehicle for navigation or emergency help, and rear-seat video for passengers are not mobile electronic devices.
- Hands-free mode means that you use voice or audio and do not touch or hold the device, except for a single touch or swipe to start or stop it.
- An adult who wants to hold a phone to the ear for an ordinary call breaks the law. The free practice question on holding a phone while driving covers this rule.
Is a phone mount OK, and can I use maps?
The law allows a navigation map on a device or screen that is mounted on or affixed to the windshield, dashboard or center console, as long as it does not impede the operation of the vehicle. You may use the device only in hands-free mode, so set your route before you drive. Other video that you can see from the normal driving seat is banned, on a phone or on an installed screen, except backup and driving-aid views.
What is the "proper lookout" rule?
The law adds a general rule. No person may do an activity that is not related to driving in a way that interferes with the safe operation of the vehicle, or fail to maintain a proper lookout while operating a motor vehicle. When an officer issues a summons, the officer must write on it the specific distracted driving behavior that the officer saw.
Which rule applies to you?
Connecticut distracted driving fines
| Violation | Fine |
|---|---|
| First violation | $200 |
| Second violation | $375 |
| Third or later violation | $625 |
What else happens after a ticket?
If you commit a moving violation while you do a banned activity, you pay the distracted driving fine in addition to the penalty for the moving violation. The violation goes on your driving history record, and the record is available to any motor vehicle insurer. The law does not let police seize or forfeit your device on this basis, unless other law says so. The fines are the same as under the old law. The old law had an exception for a hands-free mobile telephone. The new law uses the hands-free mode rule instead.
Distracted driving in a work zone
Under Public Act 26-120, in effect October 1, 2026, any activity that section 14-296aa bans is reckless driving in a highway work zone. That is an area of a state highway where construction, maintenance or utility work is being performed, from the first warning sign or a work vehicle's flashing lights to the "END ROAD WORK" sign or the last temporary traffic control device. A first offense brings a fine of $100 to $300, up to 30 days in jail, or both. A later offense brings up to $600, up to one year in jail, or both. You cannot be prosecuted under both laws for the same offense.
Drivers under 18: no phone at all and a license suspension
The under-18 ban is the same as before: no mobile electronic device, even in hands-free mode. The practice question on a hands-free call by a teen tests this rule. After a conviction, section 14-111 of the 2026 Supplement lists a suspension for a driver under 18, also for a youth instruction permit holder: 30 days for a first violation of section 14-296aa, 90 days for a second and six months for a third or later violation. Other teen penalties are in the guide to teen driver suspensions.
New distracted driving question on the knowledge test
From October 1, 2026, each Class D knowledge test must include at least one question about distracted driving, the use of mobile electronic devices by drivers or the driver's duties under section 14-296aa. Our practice tests and question pages are free and in English only. They are practice questions, not real test questions. See the Connecticut knowledge test guide for the rest of the test.
Key takeaways
- Since October 1, 2026, you may not hold or support a phone while you drive in Connecticut. A stop at a red light or in traffic still counts as driving.
- Drivers 18 and older may use a device only in hands-free mode. Reading, viewing or typing messages is banned, and so is most video.
- Drivers under 18 may not use a device at all, even hands-free, except to talk about an emergency.
- Fines are $200, $375 and $625. Distracted driving in a highway work zone counts as reckless driving.
- Next step: practice the rules on the free Connecticut Class D practice test.
Connecticut distracted driving law: common questions
Do the new phone rules apply to truck drivers?
Yes. A driver of a commercial motor vehicle may not drive in violation of the same rules: no holding or supporting a device, hands-free mode only, no messages and no visible video. The only exception is use to talk about an emergency.
Can I make a hands-free call in Connecticut?
Yes, if you are 18 or older and the phone stays in hands-free mode. You talk by voice and touch the phone only for a single touch or swipe to start or end the call. Drivers under 18 may not make a hands-free call unless they talk about an emergency.
Is a backup camera screen allowed?
Yes. A backup camera, a parking camera or an object-detection display is allowed, because the law excepts video that helps with backing, parking, your view of the road or object detection. A movie or other video on a dashboard screen that the driver can see is banned.
Can I use my phone to call 911 while I drive?
Yes. You may hold or use a phone only to talk about an emergency with an emergency response operator, a hospital, a physician's office or health clinic, an ambulance company, a fire department or a police department. This exception applies to drivers of every age, including drivers under 18.
What is the fine for a second offense?
A second violation costs $375. A first violation costs $200, and a third or later violation costs $625. If you also commit a moving violation while you use the phone, you pay the distracted driving fine on top of the penalty for that moving violation.
Does a distracted driving ticket affect my insurance?
It can. A violation goes on your driving history record, and the law makes that record available to any motor vehicle insurer. Ask your insurer how it treats a distracted driving violation on your record.
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