Texting while driving became illegal in Tennessee on July 1st, but
local law enforcement can’t officially issue citations under the law
just yet.

Both the Memphis City Council and the Shelby County Commission must
pass ordinances that mirror the state law before Memphis police
officers and Shelby County sheriff’s deputies can write tickets aimed
specifically at texting while driving. But that doesn’t mean tech-savvy
drivers are off the hook.

“We already have several city ordinances that we use for things like
texting,” said Major Ray Hopkins, executive officer of traffic with the
Memphis Police Department. “There are ordinances in place that deal
with drivers being required to pay full attention when driving and
failure to maintain safe lookout.”

Shelby County sheriff spokesperson Steve Shular said the county has
a similar ordinance that punishes drivers for “failure to devote full
attention” to the road.

However, Tennessee Highway Patrol officers have begun enforcing the
state prohibition against texting and driving. The misdemeanor citation
carries a $50 fine, but citations don’t go on driving records.

“We’re looking for motorists who are clearly texting or reading a
text message,” said Mike Browning, a spokesperson for the state
Department of Safety. “Motorists should be aware that texting while
driving is a dangerous behavior that can result in an injury crash or
even death.”

Memphis driver Monica Carney said the new law won’t stop her. She
sends her friends messages when she can use cruise control but tries to
avoid the practice during rush hour.

“I’ve never wrecked or rear-ended anyone while texting, and until
someone has wrecked, I don’t think they should be punished,” Carney
said.

Shular said officers occasionally find evidence that drivers were
texting at the time of the accident: “Officers will find cell phones in
the floorboard of a vehicle after a crash. The screen shows
mid-sentence, as if the person was texting before their wreck.”

Whether they’re texting, fiddling with iPods, or the radio dial,
Hopkins said too many Memphis drivers don’t pay attention to the
road.

“People have become too casual with driving. It requires all of your
attention,” Hopkins said. “When you’re mentally distracted, it’s just
like being under the influence of alcohol or intoxicants.”