As many of you know by now, many states across the country are beginning to enact cell phone driving laws and are promoting hands-free devices.  The big cities that already have these bans in place are Washington D.C. and Chicago, while many states across the U.S. have already enacted this law.  Effective this summer, July 1, both Washington and California will be enacting the cell phone driving ban and drivers must turn to using hands-free devices (yes, even you 90210) in order to be law abiding citizens.

Cell Phone Driving Bans Across the U.S.

So, Who’s Next?

Well it is bound to happen in almost every state … so the big question is who is next to enact the cell phone driving ban?  After much research on cell phone laws and governmental affairs (well, maybe not so much …) my predictions are that Georgia (Atlanta) and Texas will be the next two states to enact such a ban.  The reasoning for this is simple.  Every major metropolitan in the country will have a ban in place once California’s law goes into effect on July 1.  Atlanta already has a mess of a freeway system due to high congestion and traffic, so the hands-free driving law might help decrease the rear-end accidents due to inattentive drivers.

Hands-Free Options

The #1 method that many people are turning to is the Bluetooth headset.  It is easy, comfortable and makes you law abiding.  From Jawbone and Plantronics, to Motorola and Nokia, you can make your Bluetooth headset as unique as you are.  For the people who don’t like wearing a headset, you can use a Bluetooth Speaker which you can clip right on your car visor and away you go.

There are many ways to start preparing for hands-free legislation, the only question is, who’s next?

Bluetooth products help employers navigate new cell phone driving bans

MADISON, Wis., March 26, 2008 – With more and more cities and states enacting cell phone driving bans, it’s more important than ever to know how to keep your employees connected, while they keep two hands on the wheel.

Hands-free Bluetooth headsets, Bluetooth speakers, Bluetooth car kits and even Bluetooth GPS give mobile professionals a variety of ways to effectively multi-task, while still obeying cell phone driving bans.

The challenge for employers is to meet not only their mobile employees’ communication needs, but to also to protect their company in the face of rapidly changing laws. 

“Employers can be liable if their employees, for example, get in a car accident while talking on an employer-provided cell phone,” says Matt Musillami, President and CEO of wireless accessories specialist Gammoth. “Now’s the time to create or modify your cell phone policies to require employees to use a hands-free device when they’re on the road.”

Musillami says Bluetooth technology offers a variety of hands-free options that allow people on the move to take that important call legally. Bluetooth headsets from Jawbone, LG, Motorola, among many others, are a good option. If you or your employees are not comfortable wearing a headset, then Bluetooth speakers from brands like BlueAnt and Motorola will clip right to your car’s visor. Bluetooth car kits are another option if you don’t have Bluetooth installed in your car and don’t want a headset. Bury, Motorola and Parrott offer top-of-the-line car kits.

You can even connect a phone to a Bluetooth-enabled Garmin GPS unit and use it as a Bluetooth speaker.

With laws changing almost as fast as technology, it’s vital to understand how, when and where cell phone driving bans affect you and your business. The Gammoth team’s blog, covers the latest news on cell phone laws and offers wireless product tips and reviews. Gammoth’s blog and other technology news sources should be regular reading for anyone responsible for keeping a mobile workforce connected.

Cell phone driving bans don’t have to slow businesses down. New technology is keeping pace with rapidly changing laws and giving drivers many hands-free options.