| Updated: 9/29/2009 8:15 am |
Published: 9/28/2009 9:22 pm |
Texting isn't just dangerous, it's about to be illegal. Starting Thursday, a new state law will ban reading and writing text messages and emails from cell phones while driving. While Little Rock police say it may be difficult to enforce, officers are ready to try.
"If you're texting or weaving all over the road, that's going to be probable cause to stop you, the fact that you're weaving all over the road," says Lt. Terry Hastings, Little Rock Police Department. "We are working with Little Rock traffic court as well as patrol division commanders coming up with an operation order of how we will enforce these laws," Lt. Hastings adds.
The way the law is written, a driver will be issued a warning for a first offense, but Little Rock officers don't issue warning citations.
"If we issue a citation, that goes into the court system as a violation. What the court system will do with it, is what we have to work out," explains Hastings.
In other words, it's up to the officer to let you go with a verbal warning, or you get a ticket.
"There are laws on the books that can be difficult to enforce, but the purpose of the law is very good, it brings attention to a specific problem, a growing problem. Talking on cell phones and texting, that is a growing problem," says Hastings.
The Legislature passed the ban during the last session, calling it "Paul's Law," after Paul Davidson of Jonesboro. The father of three was killed in a head-on crash with a driver who was allegedly typing a text message.
