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Virginia lawmaker wants to make texting while driving a primary offense


Posted on Sep 27, 2009

Earlier this year Virginia lawmakers passed a law making it illegal to send or receive text messages while driving.  However, the law is subject only to secondary enforcement, meaning that police officers cannot pull a driver over just for texting and driving.

 

Some lawmakers believe that Virginia has not gone far enough to eliminate texting and driving on the Commonwealth’s roads and highways.  State delegate Steve Shannon, a candidate for State Attorney General, is calling for lawmakers to make texting and driving a primary offense.

 

If texting and driving were a primary offense, then law enforcement officers could pull drivers over just for sending or reading a text message.  Shannon would also like to increase the fine for a first offense to $100 and to $250 for the second offense.

 

Right now, the ban that went into effect July 1 allows for a $20 fine for the first texting while driving offense, and $50 for the second offense.  Shannon and other safety advocates believe that the new law is a start, but not enough of a deterrent for drivers determined to stay in touch via text messages no matter what the risk.

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