HARRISBURG, Nov. 1, 2011 — State Sen. Judy Schwank said today’s Senate passage of a statewide ban on texting while driving sends a clear message to drivers: “Keep both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.”

Senate Bill 314, which passed the Senate by a 45-5 vote, prohibits the operation of a moving vehicle while using a wireless communication device to send, read or write a text message.

This violation would be considered a primary offense, which means a law enforcement officer can pull over a driver for that offense alone, and would be punishable by a $50 fine.

“This legislation will protect all motorists from the careless drivers who engage in the dangerous act of texting while driving,” Schwank said. “Pennsylvania is now one step closer toward ensuring that drivers keep both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.”

Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

“Texting while driving a vehicle completely impairs a driver’s awareness of the road and their surroundings,” Schwank said. “No message is worth endangering lives.”

The bill now heads to the governor’s desk.

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