Silke Jasso
Following a vote by Sugar Land’s City Council, drivers in the sweetest part of Houston will have to wait a little longer to swipe left or send a text.
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The council recently enacted a new ordinance making it illegal to hold your phone while driving. More specifically, this means the next time you’re visiting the town square, or whatever else it is they do on the southwest side, you’ll have to wait to use your phone at a stop sign or light.
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Holding a phone while your car is in motion is no longer legal starting March 30. Police are giving drivers a 90-day “warning-only” grace period, but a violation after that could result in a $500 fine.
This new policy comes after a yearlong poll where 60 percent of residents said they would be in favor of such a policy. The decision by the Sugar Land City Council was not unanimous, but with almost 100 incidents of inattentive driving reported around town in 2015 and the number expected to rise, any incentive to keep us from checking that latest notification could be lifesaving.
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Of course, Sugar Land’s new ordinance is similar to policies in Austin and San Antonio, where, despite it being illegal, over 23,000 people have chosen to continue to use their phone instead of drive.
Read more about the council’s decision here.
