Ohio is the 39th state to ban texting while driving, and, starting today, drivers finally can be punished by law for the offense.

The law begins with a six-month warning period before tickets will be given, and we hope this means the safety of our roads is increasing already. Texting while driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving, according to the Kent State Police Department, yet a recent survey by AAA found that 35 percent of motorists admitted to texting behind the wheel — and nearly 50 percent of drivers aged 18 to 24 admitted the same.

Thousands of people are killed each year while driving and using cellphones, including Kent State students. It’s a tragedy that has been ignored by the law for too long, and we’re happy to see the ban, which was signed by Gov. John Kasich on June 1, begin to take effect. We hope drivers will take the law seriously and that the rest of the country will soon follow suit.