Taylor Farrell

If you're driving in San Marcos, you'd better keep your hands off electronic devices. Hands-free is now the law. In this Bobcat Update, Taylor Farrell tells us how Texas State students are adjusting to the law -- now that police are enforcing it.

February marked the beginning of police-enforcement of an ordinance that bans the handling of a device while driving a motor vehicle. The law prohibits the use of G-P-S, e-mail and even reading or sending text messages. With the new law in place, some students are having a hard time adjusting.
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Making a phone call or using a navigation system is still allowed, but only if you can do so hands-free. If caught violating the law, a driver may be fined up to 500 dollars. Creators of the law are hopeful that the high fines will make any potential violators think twice.
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While many students admit it's a difficult habit to break, they agree that being hands-free is for the betterment of San Marcos and for the safety of everyone.
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With a one-month grace period, violators will first be issued a warning. After that, fines will gradually increase with each violation. For more information, visit the City of San Marcos webpage. For Bobcat Update, I'm Taylor Farrell.