TOPEKA — The Kansas Highway Patrol said today means new traffic laws for Kansas drivers. You’ll definitely have to wear your seat belt now because a new law allows traffic officers to pull you over for not wearing it. That now includes everyone in the vehicle. Another new law bans texting while driving except in emergency or unusual circumstances. Troopers will issue warnings but start writing tickets Jan. 1. Another new law prohibits covering a license plate with any clear or opaque material that affects the plate’s visibility or reflectivity. Also, the highway patrol said troopers will start writing tickets for two laws that went into effect last year. One is the move-it law that requires vehicles involved in minor non-injury crashes on major roadways to moved off the roadway. The other is the law that requires drivers to stay in the right-hand lane of rural multi-lane highways unless they’re passing, making a turn or moving over for safety reasons. By the way, traffic fines are $15 higher.
Thursday, July 1, 3 p.m.
