Texting and Driving, Challenges of Enforcement

BEMIDJI, Minn. (AP) - While the number of citations given by state troopers for texting and driving has steadily increased in Minnesota, the North Dakota Highway Patrol says enforcing that state's new texting law has been a challenge.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol has issued just two tickets and five warnings statewide in the nearly two months since the ban took effect. Drivers caught using a wireless communications devise to compose, read or send a message can be fined $100. Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Jody Skogen says enforcement of the law may continue to be sporadic as troopers struggle to catch drivers in the act.

In Minnesota, 18 texting tickets were issued in 2008 when the law was enacted, 137 citations were made in 2009, 355 tickets in 2010 and 332 tickets through Aug. 31 of this year.

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