texting

From the Chicago Tribune:

Take your thumbs off the keypad and put your hands on the wheel — it’s now illegal to text-message while driving.

A state law that takes effect Friday also bans checking e-mail, updating Facebook and Web surfing while driving, though using your phone’s GPS is still OK.

“We want everyone to keep their attention on the roadway,” said Capt. Scott Compton, an Illinois State Police spokesman. “Texting and cell phone use is a distraction that not only takes your eyes off the road, but often takes more than one hand to do.”

The texting ban is one of nearly 300 new laws taking effect with the new year, ranging from ethics reforms in the wake of ex- Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s ouster to how credit card companies can market on college campuses.

According to ENEWSPF, police are expected to aggressively enforce the no-texting while driving ban. Police now have authority to subpoena your mobile phone records after an accident to see if you were texting while driving.