Senators Vote for Tougher Texting-at-Wheel Law

The New York Senate passed legislation on Tuesday that will permit police officers to stop and ticket motorists for texting at the wheel.

Under this new legislation, police officers can stop drivers for that offense alone since it's a primary traffic offense to talk on a hand-held phone while driving in New York.

Texting-at-the-wheel of a moving vehicle is a secondary offense, which means that a person can't be pulled over solely for driving while texting. Instead, it must be tacked on to another offense such as speeding.

This law carries a fine of $150 and will penalize drivers with two points on their licenses.