New No Texting Law begins July 1st

Drivers in the state who use their cellphones can be pulled over and ticketed purely for that offense starting Wednesday. A new state law taking effect July 1st makes it a Class Two misdemeanor to use a cellphone while driving except in an emergency.  It will also be a violation to use a GPS app or to read or enter a phone number. Drivers who talk on the phone will need to either use a hands-free mode or hold the phone up to their ear. Texting and driving already was a secondary offense in South Dakota, meaning a driver had to be pulled over for another reason to be ticketed. But the new law makes it a primary offense, meaning drivers can be pulled over for only using a cellphone.