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MISSOURI CITY— Missouri City will ban texting while driving beginning Tuesday, June 1.

Missouri City joins a growing list of cities with bans on texting while driving, including Galveston, West University, Conroe and Bellaire.

Kelvin Silva is a young driver and admits he’s sent plenty of text messages on the road.

“Yeah, trying to text and I almost hit the curb,” he said.

Kathy Vaughn believes young drivers aren’t the only ones juggling the phone and the wheel, and she’s tired of it.

“It’s dangerous, very dangerous,” Vaughn said.

But not everyone is in favor of the ban. Driver Steve Collings believes texting is sometimes necessary when behind the wheel.

“If you’re in business for yourself and you use your car as your office, sending proposals and things like that, you would have to text,” Collings said.

Talking on cell phones will still be legal on the road in Missouri City, but sending e-mails or using any other cell phone applications will not be.  Even when stopped at a red light or stop sign, the law applies.

The fine for breaking the new ordinance could be as high as $500 dollars.

When Missouri City passed the law in February, Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald said it was about awareness and changing habits.

“It’s not what you’re gonna see ticket-wise,” Chief Fitzgerald said. “It’s what it prevents and if it saves one life, isn’t it worth it?”

Via: KHOU.com