A new state law that makes texting while driving a primary offense for which a driver may be stopped went into effect Sunday.
The penalties, with exceptions for emergencies, can be as high as $175 for a first offense and $500 for subsequent offenses.
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The law, authored by Sen. Butch Gautreaux, was approved in the 2010 regular legislative session.
The same law also makes it an infraction for those 17 and under to use a cell phone while driving. Violators face tickets and fines.
Any violation of the law is now a moving violation.
Since the law is new, some area law enforcement agencies have said they will start out by issuing warnings. But Acting Bogalusa Police Chief Effie Clayton said local drivers should not count on getting off so easy.
“I’m not going to have a grace period,” she said. “It will be up to the (responding) officer’s discretion.
“It’s a serious problem and some people are really bad. I know of several bad, bad accidents that happened because somebody was texting.”
Clayton said she pulls over to the side of the road when she has to text. She recommends other do the same.
“I would say no grace period,” she said. “It’s dangerous. They shouldn’t be doing it.”
According to the National Safety Council, texting or talking on a cell phone while behind the wheel prompts approximately 1.6 million accidents, or 28 percent of the total, per year.
Comments
Barry wrote on Sep 24, 2010 5:13 AM: