A Kentucky law banning texting while driving for all drivers and cell phone use for all drivers under 18 takes effect Thursday, July 15.
According to Governor Steve Beshear’s Office, the law bans texting for drivers of all ages while the vehicle is in motion. For drivers over 18, it allows use of GPS and reading, selecting or entering a telephone number or name for the purpose of making a call. Texting is allowed only to report illegal activity or to request medical or emergency aid.
For drivers under 18, use of all personal communications devices such a cell phones and pagers is not allowed while the vehicle is in motion. The use of GPS is allowed, but manually entering information must be completed while the vehicle is stopped. Emergency and public safety vehicles are exempt when the use of a personal communication device is essential to the operator’s official duties.
Law enforcement officers will issue warnings until January 1. On or after January 1, violators will be liable for fines of $25 on a first offense and $50 on each subsequent offense.
Kentucky recorded more than 57,000 crashes last year, and more than 200 fatalities, attributed to driver distraction and inattention.