AMARILLO, TEXAS -- Restricting the use of cell phones in school zones is certainly one of the hottest issues around town. Wednesday, Amarillo's Traffic Commission met to talk about it some more. As you may know, the traffic commission has been discussing implementing the state law that limits the use of talking or texting on your cell phone while you're driving in a school zone. To do that, the city would need to put up signs in those zones. At Wednesday's meeting, the city attorney discussed that state law with traffic commissioners. But many of them still have questions. Among them, how other cities have implemented the law and where to start posting the signs.
"I really want to hear from the Amarillo Independent School District and Canyon Independent School District about where they think their greatest problems are. If we do indeed recommend to the city commission that they go ahead and put the signs up, do we start in the high schools? do we start at the elementarys? How about the middle schools? And how long will it take?"said Ellen Robertson-Green, Traffic Commissioner.
They will meet again next month to get those answers before giving their recommendation to city commissioners.
"In December we're going to look at what other cities have done and also talk with AISD and CISD about what they want to see," said Robertson-Green .
"I personally think we should go ahead and put the signs up. It's very important to restrict cell phone use in school zones. It's very dangerous to be talking on the phone and texting while driving in a school zone," adds Roberston-Green.
Pronews 7 did learn during the meeting that it would cost the City of Amarillo between $40,000 to $60,000 to make the signs and put them up.
