In recent months, the cities of Amarillo and Canyon enacted laws that restrict cell phone use while driving. Canyon was among the first 20 cities in Texas to pass such a bill into law. Despite objections from citizens of both cities as well as others who live in the metropolitan area, both cities stand firm on their respective restrictions.
Canyon approved its cell phone law May 7 and passed it into effect Aug. 1. It is now a class C misdemeanor to text, send email, use the Internet or input directions into a GPS while driving within Canyon city limits.
Canyon Chief of Police Dale Davis stated that Canyon’s law is less strict about cell phone use than in Amarillo.
“If you travel 15 miles north, the law changes,” Davis said. “You’re not allowed to use your phone [while driving] at all in the city of Amarillo. In Canyon, you can’t use your phone to text or use apps or e-mail while driving.”
The new law still prohibits all cell phone use in school zones during school hours.
“Throughout the year, we’re going to be enforcing those [penalties] because it’s a public safety issue for students on all campuses,” Davis said. “When you get to a younger school like the intermediate school or junior high, you have a lot of students who are walking, so we’re looking at that, making sure drivers aren’t using their phones.”
Davis said Canyon’s law also serves as preparation for a possible bill in the Texas state legislature.
“There’s not a state law now, but I anticipate that, in the next legislative session, we’re going to see the law come up,” Davis said. “The governor vetoed that bill last time, but he’s getting enough pressure that it might come back.”
Davis said the primary intent of the new law was to protect the safety of drivers and pedestrians in Canyon city limits.
“I think it’s each driver’s responsibility to pay more attention to the road rather than talking on their cell phones,” Davis said. “Their life as well as a pedestrian’s is not worth a phone. When we presented these ordinances to the city commission, there were a bunch of college kids up there, and they agreed completely that using apps or texting while driving is unnecessary.”
