Owners of used cars in New Jersey may feel a bit safer on the roadways following the announcement of a new federal law. On Tuesday, the Department of Transportation declared that operators of trucks and buses driving on interstate roadways are now banned from using handheld devices to send text messages while behind the wheel.

The ban, which will go into effect immediately, was supported by officials of the trucking and busing industries. Drivers of commercial vehicles caught texting will now be subject to fines in excess of $2,000.

“We said the federal government would do everything in its power to send a clear message that texting, talking and driving are potentially lethal activities with very serious consequences,” said U.S. transportation secretary Ray LaHood.

“Today we are sending a strong message. We don’t merely expect you to share the road responsibly with other travelers – we will require you to do so,” he added.

The announcement of the new law was due in part to a recent Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study that found that truckers are 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident while texting.