Senator Alesi Intros Anti Texting-While-Driving Bill ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - State Senator Jim Alesi has introduced legislation that would ban drivers from sending and reading text messages while they're driving.

The Perinton Republican says he's building on New York's ban against talking on cell phones while driving. The law carries the same 100 dollar fine as the cellphone ban. But more importantly, Alesi says his bill puts messages about the dangers of texting and driving into drivers' education classes. It also directs the State Motor Vehicles Commissioner to include at least one question about it into the licensing exam.

Senator Alesi says adult drivers also text -- but it's primarly young people who have adopted texting from cell phones as a primary way of communicating.

State legislators have been talking about some form of texting ban since the summer accident that killed five Fairport High School graduates. Texting may have been a cause of that crash. But Alesi says he waited until now to introduce his bill because he didn't want to react without doing some homework first.

Alesi's bill is co-sponsored by Democratic Assemblywoman Susan John of Rochester. It's backed by the New York State Police and Monroe County Sheriff's Department, which sent representatives to stand with Alesi as he announced his bill.

State Police Troop E Commander Mark Koss said 13 percent of the accidents in his region over the past year involved driver distraction. He says State Police are for anything that keeps drivers' attention on the road. Major Koss says the anti-texting law will be tough to enforce, and that needs to be taken into consideration. © Copyright 2010, WXXI