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There have been some hot tickets in Sioux Falls in recent weeks.
From basketball tournaments to concerts, people have been clambering to get their hands on tickets. But another action by people's hands is resulting in a different kind of ticket.
Next week will mark half-a-year since the Sioux Falls City Council outlawed texting and sending other electronic messages while behind the wheel. To date, Sioux Falls Police have ticketed eleven people for violating the new ordinance.
"We have written tickets for that. We are continuing to write tickets and if our officers notice anything. They'll be addressing it the same as any other violations," Officer Sam Clemens said.
Clemens says most of those tickets have been in recent months. The most recent ticket was given late last week.
"I think people have probably, maybe gone back to their old habits now and that could be why we're seeing more of these tickets," Clemens said.
Two of the eleven violators have been involved in a crash. One was sending a text; the other was receiving a text.
"I think it is a good reminder to keep your phone down. You don't need to be on it when you're driving. You need to pay attention to what you're doing," driver Leah Theisen said.
Theisen says the texting ban and the tickets that come with it are a good reminder for everyone to put the phone down when behind the wheel.
"I also have a 17-year-old driver so I have that in mind too. I don't want him to have that bad habit," Theisen said.
"If people have their head down, hiding their phone, they're not paying attention to the road so there's a greater chance that somebody could get hurt," Clemens said.
And that's why texting ban supporters hope everyone follows the law.
The ticket for texting behind the wheel is $95. If someone fights that ticket and goes to court, the judge could impose a fine of up to $200.
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