Texting while driving could become illegal in Missouri

Intro: A Senate bill to prohibit texting while driving was passed and is on its way to the House.

Lauren Mickler (MIKE-ler) has more from Jefferson City.

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Text messaging can be an efficient way to send a message, but one senator says texting while driving makes things more complicated.

Jefferson County Democrat Ryan McKenna said people may not realize how complicated it can get...

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Description: "There was a nationwide insurance study that shows almost 70 percent of kids 18 to 24 are text messaging while driving. If there's that many doing it, they don't seem to understand they have a weapon in their hands with the vehicle."

McKenna said his main goal with the bill is to make people more aware of how dangerous it can be to text and drive, and added that young adults aren't the only ones causing the problem.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Lauren Mickler.

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It seems like it would be hard for police to tell whether someone is texting while on the road, but ONE Jefferson County Senatory said his goal is safety, not tickets.

Senator Ryan McKenna is sponsoring a bill that will make it illegal to text and drive in Missouri.

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Description: "I think the goal wasn't to have highway patrol or law enforcement pulling people over for text messaging while driving, I think it was to get people to understand how dangerous it is, how prevalent it is."

The bill passed in the Senate last week and is awaiting a committee referral in the House.

From the State Capitol, I'm Lauren Mickler.

Intro: Text messaging while driving could soon be illegal in Missouri with fines of up to $200.

Lauren Mickler (MIKE-ler) has more from Jefferson City.

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Texting while driving could become a costly habit in Missouri.

The Missouri Senate passed Democrat Ryan McKenna's bill outlawing texting while driving and fines could be up to two-hundred dollars for those who get caught.

McKenna said he's not trying to get people pulled over, but heighten awareness about the dangers of texting while you drive.

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Description: "When you think of taking your eyes off the road, putting two hands on a phone, steering with your knee, and looking down in your lap--that's a dangerous situation."

The bill is waiting to be referred to a committee, and McKenna said even if the bill doesn't pass he is interested in an awareness campaign on the issue.

From the State Capitol, I'm Lauren Mickler.