Texting While Driving Now Primary Offense
By: Pat Hritz
Updated: September 18, 2012
Today is the day,
The law gives police the authority to pull over and cite a driver if they see them behind the wheel texting.
It's now a primary offense and violations can carry fines up to $50 plus court costs.
Corporal Anthony Chimera from the Millcreek Police Department tells us second and third offenses carry the same fine of $50.
This law doesn't include talking on a handheld device.
Chimera says that enacting the law is a good idea based on the numbers.
Statistics show that you are 23 more times likely to get into a crash if you text while driving.
49% of drivers with cell phones under the age of 35 send or receive text messages while driving.
Chimera admits it will be a tricky law to enforce.
Chimera says texting while driving goes hand in hand with driving behavior, so if officers can't exactly see a mobile device but notice dangerous driving, you can be pulled over and later be found to have been texting while driving.
