Cell Phones and Text Messages: Unsupervised Driving Laws in South Dakota
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In South Dakota, drivers of all ages are prohibited from texting and driving. Drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using portable wireless devices while driving. Several cities have gone beyond these laws and passed local ordinances to ban distraction driving. These cities include:
- Aberdeen
- Box elder
- Brookings
- Huron
- Mitchell
- Rapid City
- Sioux Falls
- million
- Watertown
Законодательство
No texting while driving for drivers of all ages
Drivers under the age of 18 are not allowed to use a portable wireless communication device.
The texting while driving law is a secondary law in South Dakota. This means that a law enforcement officer will have to see the driver commit a traffic violation before stopping him in order to issue a text notification to the driver.
Attention: Rapid City has a local ordinance that makes texting and driving the primary law, meaning that all a law enforcement officer needs to stop someone for texting and driving is to see how they they do it.
Attention: Huron, South Dakota has a Distracted Driving Ordinance that develops the law and prohibits any activity that may distract the driver. Major offenses in this city include: texting, sending images or e-mail. Secondary offenses include viewing or receiving these items. Other acts that are considered distracted driving and are secondary offenses include:
- Food
- Drinking
- Applying makeup
There is a penalty associated with texting and driving. The fine is statewide and is also used in local ordinances.
end
- $100
South Dakota has a ban on texting while driving. In general, this is a minor violation, but in some cities it has become a major violation. When traveling to these cities, a sign is usually posted informing drivers of the change in the law. While it's important to be aware of these signs in order to be prepared to put your cell phone away, it's safer not to take it with you at all.
