Recently, Iowa has passed a law against texting while driving, as many other states have already done to increase driver safety. The Iowa City Police Department issued its first citation for this offense last week.
According to the Des Moines Register Website, 20-year old Jillian Carmoney was issued the citation for texting and driving after she rear-ended another vehicle on Highway 6 heading eastbound.
The texting while driving citation was not the only charge she faced after the accident when authorities came to the scene. Responding officers to the scene issued field sobriety tests for Carmoney. She failed them and was issued a breath test, which showed a very high blood alcohol level.
Carmoney was actually arrested for drunk driving, but she was also issueed what became Iowa City's first texting while driving citation, which is a secondary offense. Carmoney admitted to texting while driving.
The actual law is a move against distracted driving that went into effect in June of this year. It has only been active in the state for a month. The law began to take shape in 2010 and fines were initiated in 2011. The law finally reached full maturity as a secondary offense just a month ago.
The fact that the texting while driving law makes it only a secondary offense means that you still cannot be pulled over for texting while driving, which is still a lesser offense than some other states. Opinions about the usefulness of the secondary offense status are still mixed.
According to the Des Moines Register Website, 20-year old Jillian Carmoney was issued the citation for texting and driving after she rear-ended another vehicle on Highway 6 heading eastbound.
The texting while driving citation was not the only charge she faced after the accident when authorities came to the scene. Responding officers to the scene issued field sobriety tests for Carmoney. She failed them and was issued a breath test, which showed a very high blood alcohol level.
Carmoney was actually arrested for drunk driving, but she was also issueed what became Iowa City's first texting while driving citation, which is a secondary offense. Carmoney admitted to texting while driving.
The actual law is a move against distracted driving that went into effect in June of this year. It has only been active in the state for a month. The law began to take shape in 2010 and fines were initiated in 2011. The law finally reached full maturity as a secondary offense just a month ago.
The fact that the texting while driving law makes it only a secondary offense means that you still cannot be pulled over for texting while driving, which is still a lesser offense than some other states. Opinions about the usefulness of the secondary offense status are still mixed.
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