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Hundreds Of Citations Given Since Ohio Texting Ban
By: Associated Press
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The State Highway Patrol says more than 270 citations have been given to drivers for texting or using a cellphone behind the wheel in violation of Ohio law since the statewide texting ban took effect about a year ago.
Texting while driving is a secondary offense for those 18 and older. That means an officer has to stop a driver for another offense first, such as speeding.
Younger drivers are prohibited from texting or using cellphones or other hand-held devices and it's a primary offense.
The patrol says that 43 of the 273 tickets issued over the past year were given to drivers under the age of 18.
A 2013 state survey of young Ohioans found that nearly half of teens had texted or emailed while driving.