Screens are everywhere inside modern vehicles, from dashboard displays to rear-seat streaming systems, and the laws governing when drivers and passengers can use them are far less consistent than most people assume. This confusion led Family Handyman, in a story also syndicated to MSN, to break down the legal gray areas surrounding in-car screens and what drivers actually need to know before hitting the road.
Callahan & Blaine, PC, was pleased to have Edward Susolik, our CEO, Senior Partner, and personal injury attorney, contribute his legal insight to the piece. Edward helped clarify a topic that trips up many drivers, namely how federal safety standards and a patchwork of state laws combine to regulate video screens behind the wheel.
How Federal and State Laws Approach In-Car Screens
Federal regulators, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, focus primarily on vehicle design rather than driver behavior. Automakers are required to build systems that block video playback on factory-installed screens once a vehicle shifts out of park, while still allowing access to navigation, climate controls, and audio functions. This is why platforms such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto restrict entertainment video while permitting calls, messaging, and music.
State law gets more complicated. Every state prohibits drivers from watching videos on a smartphone while operating a vehicle, and most limit handheld phone use more broadly, but the rules around dashboard-mounted tablets, aftermarket displays, and front-passenger viewing vary considerably from state to state.
What Drivers Should Know Before Using In-Car Screens
Because so much depends on where a driver is located, Family Handyman outlined the following categories that every motorist should understand before assuming a screen is safe or legal to use behind the wheel:
- Driver video use: Watching entertainment video on a smartphone or dashboard screen while driving is prohibited nationwide, regardless of how the device is mounted.
- Built-in vehicle systems: Front touchscreens are programmed to block video playback in motion, while navigation, calls, and audio typically remain accessible.
- Passenger viewing: Some states, including California, allow a front-seat passenger to watch video content on a personal device, but this privilege does not extend to the driver.
- Aftermarket and mounted devices: Windshield-mounting restrictions and rules for dashboard-installed displays differ widely by state and can carry separate penalties.
Understanding these categories can help drivers avoid an unnecessary citation, but the bigger concern is what happens when a screen distraction leads to a crash.
Why Screen Distractions Matter in Car Accident Cases
A screen that is technically legal to have in a vehicle can still become a serious liability issue if it distracts a driver and contributes to a crash. Cases involving texting and driving have made this clear for years, and video content is no different, since it draws a driver’s eyes and attention away from the road in much the same way.
According to NHTSA, distracted driving claimed thousands of lives nationwide in a single recent year, a reminder that even brief lapses in attention behind the wheel can have devastating consequences. In litigation, cell phone records and vehicle data can help establish whether a driver was watching or interacting with a screen at the time of a crash.
Edward Susolik put it plainly when discussing how unfamiliar drivers often are with the rules in their own state. “Claiming you didn’t know won’t matter, especially if you cause an accident,” he explained. That distinction, between what a driver assumed was allowed and what the law and the facts of a crash actually show, often becomes central to a personal injury claim.
Contact Callahan & Blaine, PC to Discuss Your Case
Callahan & Blaine, PC, has spent more than forty years representing people who have been seriously injured by the negligence of others, including drivers distracted by screens, phones, and other in-car technology. Our attorneys, led by President and CEO Edward Susolik, bring decades of trial experience to every case we handle.
If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, we encourage you to reach out to our team. Contact us today to submit your potential case and learn how Callahan & Blaine, PC can help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
