The City of Tomball wants drivers who travel through its city to keep their eyes on the road and off their cell phones.

At a Nov. 15 meeting, the Tomball City Council unanimously approved a measure that disallows texting while driving. Those who are caught face up to a $200 fine.

“Traffic accidents are down in Tomball, but there are still too many,” Police Chief Rob Hauck told the council during discussion of the proposal.

“Inattention causes tons of accidents,” he said.

The action comes a little more than two months after member Derek Townsend first proposed the idea.

Hauck said the goal of the new law is to “change the behavior of motorists who drive through Tomball.”

“We’re not looking to go out there and say ‘gotcha,’” Hauck explained.

He believed that motorists will stay off their phones voluntarily once they become aware of the new enforcement policies.

“We have seen noticeable behavior changes since the enactment of similar laws limited to school zones,” Hauck stated in a report, “and it is time to take a proactive and widespread approach to traffic safety by approving this City Ordinance.”

He added that the law does not prohibit using cell phones while driving “in a thoughtful way.”

For example, utilizing GPS navigation systems or talking on cell phones is still allowable under the new law.

The city council also passed a measure that outlaws synthetic forms of marijuana, which Hauck explained has become increasingly popular.

In a report to council, Hauck explained that there are no federal or state laws prohibiting the use or sale of “synthetic cannibinoid products,” which go by the street name of K-2 and Salvia, among others

“During the summer, we got reports of an increased usage of synthetic THC,” Hauck said. “THC is illegal. In a synthetic form, it is not illegal.”

He explained that the chemical is commonly found in landscaping products and could be found at stores in Tomball.

“We want to send the message this is not okay in our community,” Hauck said.

Similar to the text ban, violators could face up to a $200 fine.

In order for the substance to be considered illegal, Hauck explained that the product would need to be designed for “ingestion.”

“Bottom line, this was created as a way around marijuana usage,” he said. “There are no legitimate uses for it (in a smokeable form).”

For details on both new measures, visit tomballtx.com.

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