Understanding the Texting and Driving Law Friday, November 8, 2013 Pennsylvania has followed the trend of its neighboring states and adopted a “texting and driving” law that prohibits the use of “wireless communication devic[s] to send, read or write a text based communication while the vehicle is in motion.” Because “in motion” is not specifically defined in the statute, a safe bet would be to assume that if your car is in “Drive,” the cell phone should be put away. The citation for violating the law is a summary offense –relatively minor, and comparable to a parking ticket. There is also a fine of $50. While the officer may not be allowed to take your device when pulling you over, the court may take it to determine if messages were sent at the time in question (that is, if you challenge the citation). So what does this new law mean? Just what the ad campaigns have been telling you –texting and driving causes thousands of accidents a year, many fatal, and we need to put measures in place to change this. Even if you are a safe driver, always be on the defensive for others who are not as careful. If you’ve been hurt in an accident involving texting and driving, contact our experienced attorneys today for a free consultation and investigation into the accident
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 20:46:54 +0000