Is The Fine For Texting & Driving Too Low In North Dakota?

I was in Sidney on Friday night. I had to go over and put the Eagles football game on the radio. While I was driving, I noticed the car in front of me swerving to the right. The driver would correct, and come back into their lane...but this went on for several miles.

The time was right, so I decided to pass them. As I glanced to the right to see if anything appeared wrong, I could see the driver was looking at their cell phone. The scary thing is we are all seeing it more and more.

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According to the Vision Zero website for North Dakota, drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using any electronic communications devices including cell phones.

14 and 15-year-olds: The law carries a $20 fine and 4 points on your driver record.
16 and 17-year-olds: The law carries a $20 fine and no points on your driver record.

Effective August 1, 2017, the law was expanded to include distracted driving to cover any distraction that impairs the ability to safely operate the vehicle.

If you're distracted while driving and commit a traffic violation, the driver (any age) can be given a $100 fine for distracted driving.
Learn more about North Dakota's distracted driving law here.

I have had my share of driving issues. We all have! But let's ask, are the penalties too low for North Dakota drivers to even care? I found an interesting website that covers both ends of the question.