Crime & Safety
Two Years After Texting Ban, Few Tickets
It can be hard for police officers to tell whether you're texting or simply placing a call.
Pennsylvania banned texting while driving two years ago, but since then has issued very few tickets for the offense. Why?
At issue, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports, is the fact that handheld phone use is not illegal. And it's nearly impossible for a police officer to tell whether a driver is sending a text (illegal) or dialing a phone number (allowed).
Since the law took affect in March 2012, 2,342 citations for the offense have been issued statewide, the Inquirer said.
Montgomery County has issued the most citations, with 253, and Allegheny County came in close second, with 251, according to data from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts provided to the Inquirer.
A ticket for texting while driving will set you back $50, plus $102.50 in court costs.
Forty-three states and the District of Columbia ban texting while driving, the Governors Highway Safety Association says, but only 12 states ban all handheld phone use.
Should Pennsylvania laws regarding cell phone use when driving be more strict? Let us know in the comments below!
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