Vermont police have written more than 100 tickets under the state’s new law banning the use of handheld electronics while operating a motor vehicle, according to data from the Vermont Judicial Bureau.
Critics of the law said it would be difficult for officers to enforce it because it requires them to be able to see into vehicles and notice that a driver is holding a cell phone or other device.
That apparently wasn’t a problem for police officers around the state, who caught drivers in the act at least 101 times in October. The judicial bureau hasn’t necessarily received documentation of all tickets written in October, as tickets aren’t required to be reported to the bureau immediately after they’re issued.
While most agencies that caught people in violation of the law did so between 1 and 5 times, the Essex Police Department wrote a state-high 13 citations for violations of the new law, which went into effect Oct. 1.
Violation of the law can result in a ticket of $100 to $200 on the first offense and up to $500 for the second offense.
