“Students who text while they drive around campus or anywhere in Summit county will have to pay a $150 fine from now on. Akron City Council passed a ban on texting while driving at Monday’s meeting. It’s something that’s going to save lives and make the roads safer,” Councilman Jon Poda, who proposed the legislation, told the Akron Beacon Journal.”
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Students who text while they drive around campus or anywhere in Summit county will have to pay a $150 fine from now on.

Akron City Council passed a ban on texting while driving at Monday’s meeting.

It’s something that’s going to save lives and make the roads safer,” Councilman Jon Poda, who proposed the legislation, told the Akron Beacon Journal.

According to Car and Driver magazine, texting while driving is more dangerous than a drunk driver.

Eighteen states currently have a texting while driving ban in place.

UAPD Major Newt Engle stated that UA would not be looking for violators directly.

It’s really hard to see the hands of the person in the car next you, Engle said.

While he also confirmed that texting while driving is more dangerous than driving intoxicated, he said he hopes that this brings awareness to the issue of being on a cell phone while driving.

If a person is involved in a crash, as a part of the evidence gathering procedure, authorities can look into a persons cell phone records. This new ban helps authorities charge a person with the crime.

Engle said he doubts that police around Akron are going to be sitting in their cars with binoculars looking for violators.

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