Texas City Issues Few Tickets to Texting Drivers

By: AP

Updated: Sun 10:06 PM, Nov 25, 2012

A North Texas city has issued few tickets since it started enforcing its driving-while-texting ban a year ago.

Arlington police say they've issued 49 citations to drivers using phones for extended periods of time since last Thanksgiving. They say verbal warnings are far more common -- and that's led to safer roads.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that San Antonio, Austin and El Paso have similar ordinances.

The Texas Legislature passed a texting-while-driving ban in 2011, but Governor Rick Perry vetoed it.

Statewide, the only ban is on cellphone use in school zones.

Texas Department of Transportation statistics show that more than 81,000 crashes in Texas last year involved a distraction in the vehicle, driver inattention or cellphone use -- and 361 of those wrecks were fatal.

Lawmakers Approve Arms Training for Schoolteachers

We ask that the following Community Standards be followed:

Comments must not be profane or vulgar.

Comments must not use hate speech, racial slurs, or violent descriptions.

We encourage varying views to be shared. We do ask commenters to not personally attack other readers, groups, people featured in our stories, or other posters for disagreeing with their views.

Comments must not contain negative, comparative debates between community standards of cities or towns.

Comments must contribute to the discussion, flaming and/or trolling will not be tolerated.

Comments must be truthful and not intentionally falsified. Providing a source link is encouraged.

If you find that a comment violates the above rules, please use the flagging option located to the right of the comment to notify the moderators.
For a complete list of guidelines, please follow this link:
http://www.kbtx.com/home/misc/Online-Commenting-Policy-181579421.html

Texas City Issues Few Tickets to Texting Drivers

AP Video