No texting while driving law goes into effect TODAY

That’s right, folks. As of today you are officially no longer allowed to text (or email, or Tweet) while operating a motor vehicle. If caught doing so, you can be fined $20 for the first offense, while subsequent offenses will cost you $50. Here’s a snippet of the new law: It shall be unlawful for […]

July 1, 2009; 10:04 AM • by Valerie Catrow

That’s right, folks. As of today you are officially no longer allowed to text (or email, or Tweet) while operating a motor vehicle.

If caught doing so, you can be fined $20 for the first offense, while subsequent offenses will cost you $50.

Here’s a snippet of the new law:

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a moving motor vehicle on the highways in the Commonwealth while using any handheld personal communications device to:

1. Manually enter multiple letters or text in the device as a means of communicating with another person; or

2. Read any email or text message transmitted to the device or stored within the device, provided that this prohibition shall not apply to any name or number stored in the device nor to any caller identification information.

Read all of the no texting law here.

The law does not pertain to the use of GPS devices or “any person using a handheld personal communications device to report an emergency.”

Also, don’t worry. You can still text while riding a bike!

July 1, 2009 10:04 AM 13