New Text Messaging Law Effective July 15th

Teens Already Banned from Electronic Devices Including Cell Phones

On July 15th, Nebraska joined 29 other states by enacting a law that prohibits behind the wheel texting via cell phones, laptop computers plus a host of other wireless communication devices.  Under Nebraska law, texting while driving will be classified as a secondary offense, which means you can only be stopped and ticketed when committing another citable traffic offense.  Violators will incur 3 points on their driving record and face a stiff fine of $200 for a first offense; $300 for a second offense; and $500 for any subsequent offenses.  If traveling out of the state, most states have laws in which texting while driving is a primary offense.  Studies show that individuals who text while driving, are more than 20 times more likely to be involved in a crash than non-distracted drivers.  Texting takes a driver's eyes off the road an average of 4.6 seconds meaning that if you are traveling 55 mph, you will travel 120 yards without looking at the road.  With the significant support that we have seen across the country for this type of legislation, it is expected that all states will implement similar laws by the year 2013.

A law passed more than a year ago restricts teen drivers holding an LPE, SCP, LPD or POP from using any type of interactive wireless communication device while operating a motor vehicle.  Interactive wireless communication means any wireless electronic communication between two or more parties including but not limited to, a mobile or cellular phone, a text messaging device, a personal digital assistant that sends or receives messages, an audio-video player that sends or receives messages or a laptop computer.

When discussing this issue with your teen drivers, please remind them that cell phone used and text messaging is prohibited in Nebraska for all teen drivers with a school permit, learner's permit or provisional operators permit.  Those with a full privilege driver's license may use a cell phone in Nebraska, but it is extremely dangerous and should be avoided.  

Even with secondary enforcement, the vast majority of people obey laws because they are laws.  In Nebraska, 85% of all Nebraskans buckle-up even though it is a secondary enforcement law.  But not all drivers choose to obey the law.  Between 1993 and 2009, more than 204,000 citations have been issued in Nebraska for non-compliance of our safety belt/child safety seat laws.  

Please encourage your teens to obey Nebraska's traffic safety laws and drive in a safe and responsible manner.