Rhode Island Becomes 19th to Outlaw Texting While Driving

Rhode Island has passed a law that prohibits texting on cell phones while driving, making Rhode Island the 19th state to enact such a law

. Governor Donald Carcieri signed the bill into law Monday night, and it took effect immediately.

Drivers who are caught in the act of texting face a $85 fine for the first offense, followed by a $100 fine for the second. For the third account, offenders will have to shell out $125.

"Driver inattention is a leading cause of motor vehicle crashes and texting has been one of the most egregious forms of it," said Michael Lewis, director of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation. "This law will help put a driver's eyes back on the road where they should be."

RIDOT will alert drivers of the new law by running ads on its highway variable message signs, putting information on social media sites, and reaching out to universities to let students know about the change.

"While this law helps us save lives, RIDOT is continuing to work towards a primary seat belt law," Lewis said. "Doing so would prevent serious injuries and save even more lives while providing Rhode Island an additional $3.7 million in transportation infrastructure and highway safety funds."