Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue signed an anti-texting-while-driving bill into law for all drivers in his state. George is the 28th state to pass a texting ban.

The new Georgia primary law, which is effective July 1, prohibits drivers of all ages from texting while driving. Violators can face a penalty of $150 and 1 point against their driver’s license.

Research compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration attributed an estimated 6,000 deaths and half-a-million injuries to distracted driving in 2008 alone. Recently, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood launched pilot programs in New York and Connecticut as part of a “Phone in One Hand. Ticket in the Other.” campaign to study whether increased enforcement and public awareness can reduce distracted driving behavior.