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Starting Tuesday, it is against the law in Missouri City for drivers to text, tweet, email, surf the internet and operate a motor vehicle.
“We think its really critical to stop accidents and save lives.”
That’s Stacie Walker, public information manager for the City of Missouri City. She says after council passed the ordinance in February, no texting signs were posted at all major thoroughfares…Texas Parkway, Highway-6, Murphy Road and on Highway 90, or Main Street, north and south bound.
“Council was mainly concerned about public safety, and police chief Joel Fitzgerald has said there have been one accident that involved reading a text and the driver was at fault, but for the most part, it’s not an issue here. And that’s why we wanted to be proactive about our policy to prevent any of those accidents happening.”
Exceptions are allowed in the event of an emergency, or when pulled over safely to the side of the road. Walker says motorists can still talk on a cell phone while driving.
“This is as you know, a national issue and a lot of regional cities have passed it, and statewide the legislature has also passed two new laws that pertain to texting and so, we think it’s really critical to stop accidents and save lives.”
Motorists can be fined up to 500-dollars per violation under the new texting ban in Missouri City.