Texting While Driving Ban Now Law in Vermont

It’s now illegal to text while driving in Vermont.

Gov. Jim Douglas signed the ban into law Tuesday at the Montpelier High School, joining at least 25 states that have banned the practice.

The measure also bans the use of cell phones and other electronic devices while driving for 16- and 17-year-old drivers.

Douglas says texting dramatically reduces drivers’ reaction time. He says at 65 miles per hour, drivers who text are not looking at the road for 500 feet for each message.

Under the bill, anyone caught sending or reading text messages while driving could face a $100 fine for a first offense and a $250 fine for each subsequent offense within a two-year period.