It's Official: Texting while Driving is Illegal in MA

Starting today, September 30th, drivers who are caught texting behind the wheel in Massachusetts will be pulled over and face hefty fines as the state joins the nationwide push to limit distracted driving. WCVB reports that the new law also prohibits scanning the Internet on a phone or mobile device while driving and bans anyone under 18 from talking on a cell phone while driving. Violators will face fines ranging from $100 for a first offense and up to $500 for repeat offenses. The ban still applies when drivers are at a stoplight.

Gov. Deval Patrick signed the bill into law earlier this year and said it should help make roads in the state safer. "Driving while texting or using a cell phone carelessly is seriously unsafe," Patrick said in a statement. "This law means police are going to take it seriously." Last year, almost 6,000 people were killed in crashes on U.S. roadways that were reported to have involved distracted driving. In Massachusetts, there were 400 crashes in 2008 where cell phones were reported to be a contributing factor, according to the state.

The Registry of Motor Vehicles and the AAA are working to warn drivers about the texting ban. The RMV has advised drivers about the new law through eight large digital billboards on highways across the state and has posted similar information on electronic road signs. Posters are also being put up at RMV branches and MBTA stations. AAA has produced two public service announcements and is sending e-mails about the new law to its more than 2 million members in Massachusetts. "Texting is the great triple threat, the most dangerous of distractions," said Mark Shaw, AAA Southern New England President and CEO. "It takes our eyes off the road, our hands off the wheel and our mental focus off our driving."

For more on the WCVB article and information about the new law, visit their website.