Crackdown on Texting and Driving Underway

Law enforcement in Minnesota will have extra man hours at their disposal now through April 23 for a crackdown on texting and driving.

Texting and driving is against the law in Minnesota. This also includes being stopped at a red light or stop sign, you are not allowed to text. Steele County Sheriff Lon Thiele, who was a guest on AM 1390's Talk of the Town, stated that law enforcement doesn't need any other reason to pull you over for distracted driving other than being seen texting while driving.

A first offense will cost you $50 plus court costs, with the cost increasing to $275 for a second offense.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety points out that distracted driving played a role in 7,666 injuries in 2015 accidents with 74 deaths in Minnesota. The number of texting and driving citations has increased from 1,707 in 2012 to 5,988 in 2016.

Thiele encourages drivers to pull over to the right when there is a need to text and to make sure you pull over far enough to the right so as not to interrupt the flow of traffic.