A new City of Vicksburg policy prohibits city employees authorized to drive the city’s vehicles from talking on phones and texting while driving.

Interim Human Resources Director Walterine Langford saidan Aug. 6 memo to city departments says the policy, established by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, is “a safety matter and one the board believes will avoid accidents and save lives.”

“It has always been an unwritten policy, but we deal with a number of federal grants, and they require that some things be in writing,” she said.

Warren County Administrator John Smith said the county does not have a policy prohibiting its employees from texting or talking on cell phones while driving.

The city employs about 530 people, and about 240 of them, including police and firefighters, are authorized to drive the city’s 309 vehicles.

City officials said they had not received complaints about city employees texting.

“But you see a lot of employees driving and using their cell phones,” North Ward Aldermen Michael Mayfield said. “And texting is the most dangerous thing a person can do while driving. The gist of our conversations (about the policy) also included talking on cell phones. We’re doing it as a safety measure. We’re not going to be able to stop it completely, but we’ll make them all aware that they’re not supposed to do it.”

No penalty has been established for violations of the city’s cell phone policy.