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Mar. 23, 2009

A group of Mississippi state lawmakers, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and wireless provider Cellular South are supporting efforts to win passage of a new bill that would restrict mobile phone text messaging while driving by teenagers.

The group is considering a Mississippi House of Representatives amendment to Senate Bill 2280 by Sen. Kelvin Butler which would prohibit 15 and 16-year-old teenagers with intermediate licenses and temporary learning and driving permits from text messaging while driving.

While some wireless carriers are opposed to restrictions on mobile phone use while driving, Cellular South says it strongly supports the proposed new legislation and is largely in favor of a permanent ban on text messaging by all drivers and for all age groups.

Under the proposed new law, violators of the text messaging ban could be fined up to $500 for each infraction and up to $1,000 if the driver is involved in an accident while texting on a mobile phone.

So far, nine states already prohibit teenagers from text messaging while driving and another seven states have an outright ban on text messaging for drivers of all ages.

Some are expecting that more and more states will ban text messaging and in all age groups while driving.

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Source: The Mississippi Department of Public Safety.