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Texting and Driving

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Posted 4:48 PM 2/21/2012 : Tucson set to pass ban on texting while driving

TUCSON- If you like to text while driving, you may soon be breaking the law in the city of Tucson. 

The Tucson City Council is set to pass a texting while driving ban at their weekly meeting, making Tucson the second city in Arizona to pass the ban.  Phoenix was the first.

The ban would make it illegal for drivers to send or read text messages and emails from behind the wheel.  Violators will face at least a $100 fine, or at least a $250 fine if there is an accident.

Texting while driving would be a primary offense, which means officers can stop a driver any time they see him or her texting.

Public safety members and Sun Tran bus drivers are exempt from the ban, but Council Member Steve Kozachik hopes to modify that at Wednesday's meeting.  He says the ban should apply to everyone, except public safety officers using an in car computer monitor.  "There's no reason the rule shouldn't apply to them as it applies to you or me," Kozachik says.

Council Member Karin Uhlich also hopes to modify the ban as it stands.  She wants to add that it would be illegal for drivers to text while at a stoplight as well.  It would only be allowed while the driver is in a parking spot.  "I think there is that temptation to text while it's a red light, but then if the light turns green and you're in the middle of a message it's easy to take away the protection we're trying to put in place," Uhlich says.

The ban would go into effect April 1.

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