West Virginia is one of the latest states to adopt a ban on cellular devices. This ban is scheduled to go into place at the beginning of next month, and as such, the House Judiciary Committee has released a fact sheet designed to let drivers know everything there is to know about the new ban.
The ban encompasses any cellular phone activity which requires the driver to use their hands to manipulate the device. Banned activities will now include texting or emailing, playing games, making phone calls, and looking at images. Hands-free devices will be allowed under the new ruling.
At first, only texting while driving will be considered a primary offense, meaning that officers will be able to pull over any individual caught in the act. Simply using a cellphone to talk will be considered a secondary offense, which means that some other illegal act will need to be discovered before an officer can pull someone over. This will change, though, on July 1 of next year, when even just using a cellphone will become a primary offense.
No matter whether the driver was texting or talking, they can expect to be fined $100 for the first offense, with increases of $100 for each subsequent offense. Third and subsequent offenses will cost $300 and put three points on a driver’s record.