Mississippi law may soon back up those public service announcements asking you to put down your phone while driving.

The Senate on March 9 passed House Bill 389 prohibiting texting while driving. Local law enforcement officials said that although the law will be a challenge to enforce, texting and driving is a problem in the area and the bill could have a positive effect on road safety.

The measure now waits to be signed by Gov. Phil Bryant. If the bill becomes law, Mississippi will become the 45th state to have a law banning texting and driving.

Brookhaven Police Chief Bobby Bell said that texting while driving has been a problem for years and is getting worse as phones continue to be used for all sorts of communication.

“Although I can’t give an accurate number of how many traffic accidents are caused by texting and driving, I can assure you we’ve had some,” Bell said.

He said people have a tendency to run stop signs and red lights when their phones distract them.

Although he thinks the law is needed, the chief has some reservations regarding enforcement.

“With the capabilities of a small town department like us, it is going to make it hard to enforce because it’ll be hard to prove,” Bell said. “It’s just one of those laws that’s going to be a challenge.”

Trooper First Class Brandon Fortenberry of the Mississippi Highway Patrol agrees with Bell regarding the amount of problems that can be caused by texting and driving.

“I personally have never seen a survey that came out in a positive way referring to texting and driving,” Fortenberry said.

Fortenberry said there are many types of distracted driving but cellphones definitely provide the top distractions. He said there are three types of distracted driving: visual, manual and mental, all of which texting involves.

“At 60 miles per hour, looking down at your phone for two seconds results in traveling 180 feet blindly,” Fortenberry said. “It takes an average of four seconds to dial a cellphone number.”

Fortenberry said that a survey of drivers with cellphones found that almost half swerved or drifted into another lane. Twenty-three percent tailgated, 21 percent cut someone off and 18 percent nearly hit someone while using the phone, according to the survey.

Fortenberry suggests if the situation calls for an immediate text, pull off the roadway to a safe place to make the call.

Bell said that using a bluetooth device or any other hands free device is a safer alternative to reading and responding to text messages on the road.

“Let’s all make a difference by concentrating on what’s important, and that’s returning safely to your family,” Fortenberry said.

Both Rep. Bobby Moak (D – Bogue Chitto) and Sen. Sally Doty (R – Brookhaven) voted in favor of the bill in their respective houses. Rep. Becky Currie (R – Brookhaven) voted against the bill.

If signed, the law would go into effect on July 1. Infractions would lead to a $25 fine until July 1, 2016 after which the fine would increase to $100. Making and receiving phone calls would still be legal.