Florida Texting While Driving Ban: Will it Make a Difference?

It's official: Texting while driving will soon be illegal in the state of Florida.

Gov. Rick Scott signed the ban into law Tuesday, the Miami Herald reports.

“As a father and a grandfather, texting while driving is something that concerns me when my loved ones are on the road," Scott said. "The 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are known as the deadliest days on the road for teenagers. We must do everything we can at the state level to keep our teenagers and everyone on our roads safe.  I cannot think of a better time to officially sign this bill into law.”

While the new ban doesn't cover everything — drivers can continue to use phones for navigation, weather and to listen to the radio," the Herald reports — it makes Florida the 39th state to enact such legislation. 

The fine for texting behind the wheel will be considered a secondary one and only carries a price tag of $30, according to media reports.

The ban goes into effect Oct. 1.

We want to hear from you, Tampa Bay: Will this ban on texting make the roads safer? What do you think of the new law?