Lancaster City Council bans cell phones in school zones

by Bill Conrad of of Lancaster TODAY

The Lancaster City Council unanimously voted to ban hand-held cell phone usage in active school zones at its meeting Oct. 13.

Lancaster follows in the footsteps of Duncanville, Dallas and Highland Park in banning hand-held usage in school zones.

“We found out that citizen's being on cell phones - especially driving through school zones in the mornings - is a distraction,” Lancaster Police Chief Keith Humphrey said. “With that distraction, there is a possibility that a child could be injured or that there could be accidents.”

Humphrey said there would be a 30-day grace period and that the city would do all it could to alert residents to the new law. This includes sending out notices in water bills, putting the information on the city's electronic signs and using the media to get out the word.

He also said that calls to 911 or other emergency services will still be allowed in school zones.

The law will only be in effect on official school days and when the school zone is in effect.

Motorists found in violation of the law are subject to a fine not to exceed $200.

Council also approved a bid in the amount of $200,421 to Dal-Tech engineering in order to complete pedestrian improvements along Dallas Avenue and Wintergreen Road.

The project includes sidewalk construction, ramps that conform with the Americans with Disabilities Act and a pedestrian crossing signal at Dallas Avenue and Veterans Parkway.