If you know it’s against the law and unsafe, why are you still texting while you drive? Post a comment in this story, comment on WTOP’s Facebook Page or use #WTOP on Twitter.
WASHINGTON – The first six months of Virginia’s law that gets tough on texting while driving reveal a clear trend: Drivers in Northern Virginia are the most likely to be convicted.
While total convictions – just 725 from July 1 to Dec. 31, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles – are limited, more than 40 percent were in Northern Virginia.
With 168 convictions, Fairfax County had far and away the most convictions for texting and driving, almost a quarter of the total.
“I think it’s mainly because there are so many professionals here who have to work and drive and sit in traffic, so they’re trying to do too many things at one time, and they’re getting caught,” says David Deane, a traffic lawyer based in Arlington.
Prince William and Arlington counties follow Fairfax in having the most convictions.
Under the new law, texting and driving is a primary offense, meaning police can pull over a driver without observing another infraction.
Some still see the law as having a loophole because drivers can dial and use the GPS functions on their phones. Accordingly, an officer may struggle to determine what a driver is actually doing with his phone.
WWBT in Richmond reports 54,126 reckless driving convictions in 2012, a figure that dwarfs those convicted of texting and driving.
| Texting While Driving Convictions | |
|---|---|
| July 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013* | |
| Jurisdiction | Convictions |
| Accomack County | 3 |
| Alexandria City | 6 |
| Albemarle County | 6 |
| Amherst County | 2 |
| Augusta County | 2 |
| Arlington County | 41 |
| Buckingham County | 1 |
| Bedford County | 2 |
| Bristol City | 3 |
| Botetourt County | 6 |
| Chesapeake City | 18 |
| Cumberland County | 2 |
| Chesterfield County | 23 |
| Campbell County | 10 |
| Colonial Heights City | 2 |
| Caroline County | 2 |
| Charlottesville City | 3 |
| Carroll County | 3 |
| Culpeper County | 3 |
| Ckarke County | 2 |
| Dinwiddie County | 1 |
| Danville City | 1 |
| Dickerson County | 1 |
| Emporia City | 1 |
| Essex County | 1 |
| Fairfax City | 4 |
| Fairfax County | 168 |
| Federick County | 8 |
| Fauquier County | 4 |
| Fluvanna County | 1 |
| Fredericksburg City | 8 |
| Goochland County | 1 |
| Giles County | 1 |
| Gloucester County | 5 |
| Halifax County | 2 |
| Henrico County | 16 |
| Hampton City | 16 |
| Hanover County | 12 |
| Isle of Wight County | 1 |
| King and Queen County | 1 |
| King George County | 3 |
| Louisa County | 6 |
| Loudoun County | 24 |
| Lunenburg County | 1 |
| Lynchburg City | 5 |
| Montgomery County | 5 |
| Mecklenburg County | 1 |
| New Kent County | 5 |
| Newport News City | 12 |
| Norfolk City | 21 |
| Nelson County | 1 |
| Northampton County | 1 |
| Nottoway County | 1 |
| Orange County | 1 |
| Page County | 2 |
| Prince William County | 62 |
| Patrick County | 1 |
| Pittsylvania County | 4 |
| Prince George County | 1 |
| Pulaski County | 5 |
| Powhatan County | 3 |
| Petersburg City | 2 |
| Rockingham County | 5 |
| Richmond City | 15 |
| Roanoke City | 17 |
| Roanoke County | 12 |
| Radford City | 1 |
| Salem City | 1 |
| Shenandoah County | 1 |
| Suffolk City | 2 |
| Stafford County | 5 |
| Staunton City | 1 |
| Smyth County | 2 |
| Tazewell County | 2 |
| Virginia Beach City | 71 |
| Wise County | 2 |
| Warren County | 6 |
| Winchester City | 5 |
| Wythe County | 5 |
| Washington County | 3 |
| Williamsburg City | 3 |
| York County | 6 |
| Total | 725 |
| * Preliminary Data |
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