Minnesota House Agrees to Raise Fine for Texting and Driving Offenses

The fines for texting while driving are about to get steeper.

KARE 11 is reporting that the House agreed to raising fees for repeat offenders as part of a transportation plan.  This means anyone who is repeatedly caught reading, composing or sending text messages.

Right now the fine is $50 but after August 1st, the fine will triple to $150 for repeat offenders.  I don't know about you, but I can think of other ways to spend $150 that are far more fun than paying a texting and driving fine.

Apparently lawmakers debated on taking the phone away for someone having three offenses. That particular piece was axed.  Maybe because it would send too many people's lives into a downward spiral.  What would they do without their phones??  I shouldn't make fun of that, I have trouble being separated from mine.

Last week, law enforcement were part of a state wide crackdown on distracted driving. There hasn't been any information released on the number of citations issued yet.  I think the crackdown and the increasing fines are a good reminder to all of us that we should put the phones away while we're driving.  It's just not worth it.