Illinois drivers have been too caught up with being on their cell phones while driving, and it has finally cost them.

Jan.1 will see a new law will be put into effect, stating that drivers in Illinois will have to put down the cell phone or any other hand-held devices while behind the wheel.  “I think talking on the phone makes people of any age more distracted from driving,” junior Rachel Buckley said.

The new law adds to a law which banned sending and reading messages while driving.  Under this new law, any driver caught talking on a hand-held phone while driving can be stopped and ticketed by police (unless it’s an emergency).

“I can understand their reasoning behind this law,” junior Taylor Robinson said, “considering the fact that you still have to type in the person you want to call, even for most Bluetooth systems.”

One thing that will always help influences the rules of the road are tickets.  Fines for the first offense are $75 and increase by $25 for subsequent tickets to a maximum of $150.  “I don’t think this is unreasonable.  Safety comes first,” Buckley said.

Drivers Ed teacher Mr. Wagner believes that teenagers will start paying attention to the law when their friends start getting tickets.

“I have heard from state troopers that they are going to give tons of tickets,” Wagner said, “similar to when the seat belt law went from a secondary law a primary law.”

Primary law meaning they need no other reason to pull you over.

Other hand-free programs, like Bluetooth are allowable under this new law.  “Personally, I don’t talk that much on the phone so I won’t be getting a Bluetooth, but I’m okay if other drivers use them,” Buckley said.

Make sure while you’re driving to not only make the road safer for yourself, but for everyone else.  An estimate of 24 percent of all traffic crashes (about 1.2 million per year) is caused because of drivers’ texting or talking on their cell phones.

Remember to drive now, text later.  The person on the other end can wait.