KOCHVILLE TOWNSHIP, MI (WNEM) -
A local sheriff is ready to crackdown on texting and driving. Today he joined forces with a business and college students in an effort to stop that deadly practice.
"If you're really driving poorly out there and texting, I'll write your for reckless driving" said Saginaw County Sheriff Bill Federspiel at a news conference this morning.
Federspiel says he's instructed his deputies to lean hard on people they catch texting and driving. The standard fine for texting and driving in Michigan is $100. But Federspiel says he can go the tougher route and fine people for reckless driving, which carries up to six points off a person's license, up to 93 days behind bars and a $500 fine.
Federspiel joined with representatives of AT&T in a program called "no texting and driving, it can wait." It urges Americans to make a lifelong commitment not to text and drive. Participants receive a decal to place on their vehicle windshield reminding not to text and drive.
Several students from nearby Saginaw Valley State University were at the news conference to support the program.
Erica Neuman is a senior at SVSU. She said "I don't like when people do it, but sometimes it's hard to say you know, that makes me uncomfortable, so if you see this campaign, I think it spreads the word easier."
Sara Martinez is with a student organization told WNEM TV-5. "SVSU is completely supportive of this program, we think that it's important that students don't text and drive."
For more information on the program you can go to the following web site:
http://www.itcanwait.org/
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