City of Jacksonville Bans Texting and Driving

JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville has become one of the first cities in East Texas to ban texting while driving, according to the Longview News-Journal and KETK. On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council unanimously voted to establish a law banning texting and driving with fines of up to $500. “You can still talk on a cellphone using your hands, but nothing else,” Mayor Dick Stone said. “No texting. No checking email. If you’re driving with your phone in your hand, you need to be talking.” The next step is for Jacksonville to post ordinance signs at entrances to the city and other efforts to help educate drivers of the law. Fewer than 40 cities statewide have ordinances prohibiting or restricting cellphone use while driving, according to the Texas Department of Transportation’s website.