A statewide ban on texting while driving takes effect next Tuesday, July 1, in South Dakota.

Lee Axdahl, the director of the Office of Highway Safety, says distracted driving of any kind has always been a bad idea.

He says the new law should drive the point home and prompt more drivers to put their full attention to operating their vehicles.

The law calls for the Department of Public Safety to run a statewide education campaign about the dangers of texting and driving.

Axdahl says the State has already had an ongoing campaign about the dangers of texting behind the wheel, and an expanded campaign will begin in the coming days.

He says instead of just saying the practice is dangerous, they can now say it's illegal.

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