Ohio Governor Signs Bill That Bans Texting While Driving
The number of states that have placed a ban on the dangerous practice of texting while driving has just grown by one.
That’s because the governor of Ohio has just signed House Bill 99, which bans the practice of sending, reading, or writing a text while behind the wheel of a vehicle. The law also makes a special distinction for those persons younger than 18, who won’t be allowed to use a cellphone while driving at all.
The designation of the offense will vary depending on the age of the person found to be in breach of the new law. For persons older than 18, texting while driving will be considered a secondary offense, while teenagers younger than that age can expect to be slapped with a primary offense. This means they can be pulled over just for engaging in the act, whereas a secondary offense can only be cited if the driver is pulled over for some other violation of the law first.
Both teenagers and adults alike can expect to face a $150 fine if they’re cited for breaking the new law, but teens could also have their licenses suspended for two months. The citations become more stringent for subsequent offenses, with teens who continue to break the law potentially incurring a $300 fine and getting their licenses revoked for an entire year.