A Suffolk County lawmaker is making a case about the dangers of text messaging while driving.

Legislator Jay Schneiderman (R-Montauk) says Long Island's BlackBerry culture has made text messaging and sending e-mails in cars more and more popular. Schneiderman claims typing a message can be very distracting, and he is proposing a $150 fine for the offense. Although he admits the law would be difficult to enforce, Schneiderman says the law is necessary as the nationwide number of accidents blamed on texting increases.

A public meeting on the bill, which is currently in committee, is scheduled for March 6.

Suffolk County was the first county in the United States to prohibit cell phone use without a hands-free device.