Beaufort County text ban usually brings warnings

BEAUFORT (AP) — It’s against the law to text and drive now in almost all of Beaufort County.

But The Beaufort Gazette reports that motorists are generally getting warnings, not tickets, for violations.

All municipalities in the county now have ordinances against texting and driving except the town of Yemassee.

In Beaufort, the ban has been in effect for about 18 months. Since January of last year, 11 tickets and 36 warnings have been issued.

In unincorporated Beaufort County, where the ban took effect last September, deputies have issued 30 warnings.

Sheriff P.J. Tanner says an officer has the discretion to issue a ticket or just give a warning. But he says drivers seem more mindful now, and texting while driving is not as blatant as before the ordinance took effect.