QUINCY, ILL. -- Texting and driving is illegal.
More states across the U.S. are putting distracted driving laws on the books.
Although it might be tough to catch someone, there are tools available for police and prosecutors to use for a conviction.
It's a simple four word text message that police officers and court officials are trying to convince everyone to do - "don't text and drive."
For just over a year, the State of Illinois has had a law on the books outlawing the option to text and drive. So has the Show Me State and at the beginning of July, the State of Iowa has also put the kabosh on texting and driving.
Jennifer Cifaldi is an assistant states attorney in Adams County Illinois and she said, "It's very risky behavior. I mean an accident can happen in a spilt second and if you think about how long it takes just for even, for you to even dial a cell phone number. I think just dialing a number on your cell phone is risky."
So if you're caught texting and driving in the Tri-State area, the penalties differ from state to state.
In Illinois, if you get caught you face a fine like a normal traffic ticket which is a cost of $120.
In Missouri, the no texting and driving law applies to those 21 and under. And if you're caught in the Show Me State, the fine varies from county to county and points are added to your driving record.
In Iowa, the law just went into effect July first and the fines start at 30 bucks and go up from there.
"I know a lot of people, just from talking to friends and people in the community. They admit to it. They do it. They're either going to get caught or they're going to get in an accident and that's how they will get caught. Hopefully, they'll smarten up and decide that it's not worth the chance," said Cifaldi.
So when you get that text when you're behind the wheel of the car, make it a conscious effort to Just Let It Ring.
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