Texting Citations Spike For 6th Straight Year In Minnesota

MINNESOTA — Texting and driving citations jumped 30 percent from 2017 to 2018, with 9,545 tickets written by law enforcement statewide in 2018, according to Minnesota court records. Since 2012, texting citations increased by 459 percent.

• 2012: 1,707
• 2013: 2,177
• 2014: 3,498
• 2015: 4,115
• 2016: 5,988
• 2017: 7,357
• 2018: 9,545

Distracted Driving, a Deadly Combination

Two people have already been killed in distracted driving-related crashes in 2019, according to the Minnesota Department of Safety:

• One crash involved the use of a cell phone.
• One crash involved distraction from another passenger.

Preliminary reports show there were at least 27 distraction-related fatalities in 2018, compared with 25 in 2017.

Texting laws in Minnesota

It's illegal for drivers of all ages to compose, read, or send text messages or access the internet while the vehicle is in motion or a part of traffic. That includes sitting at a stoplight or stop sign.

• $50 plus court fees for a first offense
• $275 plus court fees for a second and/or subsequent offense

It's illegal for drivers under age 18 to use a cell phone, whether hand-held or hands-free - except to call 911 in an emergency.

If you injure or kill someone because of texting and driving, you can face a felony charge of criminal vehicular operation or homicide.

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