text size

Police Cracking Down on Texting and Driving

Updated: Thursday, March 14 2013, 08:42 AM EDT

PATASKALA -- Police are cracking down on drivers texting while they're behind the wheel.

It's illegal in Ohio.  As of March 1st, police officers can now start ticketing drivers for it.

Police in Pataskala say they're on the lookout for texters.

"It's a big problem," said Officer Mike Love.  "People are not paying attention to the road, looking down at their phones in their hands."

Love said he once got a call about what he expected was a drunk driver.

"(The driver was) crossing the yellow line and going back and forth in the lane," he said.  "We stop them and it turns out they were just on their phone texting.  (They) didn't have a bit of alcohol in them."

State law says adults can't be pulled over just for texting and driving, but anyone under 18 can. Adults must be breaking another law to get pulled over.

Drivers won't be "laughing out loud" about the $150 fine.  Drivers can even lose their license for up to two months.

Officer Love said there have not been any accidents in Pataskala from texting and driving.  He wants to keep it that way.

"I know it's a problem," he said.  "I know people have been killed in accidents because of it."