Police crack down on cell phones, other distractions while driving

SACRAMENTO -- California Highway Patrol is joining forces with other law enforcement agencies in a monthlong effort to save lives by cutting down on distracted driving.

According to the CHP, inattention while behind the wheel proved to be especially deadly in 2009 as 116 people lost their lives as the result of a collision in which at least one driver was distracted.  More than 17,000 others were injured under similar circumstances.

To address this growing concern, the California Highway Patrol and more than 200 law enforcement agencies throughout the state are conducting a series of enforcement efforts during April ---National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

Citations for cell phone use while driving, for example, can carry penalities and fines of up to $159 for a first offense.

"When you're behind the wheel of a vehicle, any distraction can beserious, even life-threatening.  Texting, especially, while driving is not only illegal, it is just not a good idea," said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow.  "Most of these crashes can be prevented if the drivers change their behavior and focus on driving."

To help address the deadly problem, the CHP received a grant from the
California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration.  In addition, local police and sheriffs’ departments will be adding several ‘zero tolerance’ enforcement days throughout the month.

"OTS is proud to both help provide the CHP with the additional resources they need to combat this problem and to sign up over 275 local law enforcement agencies to join in this kickoff campaign," said OTS Director Christopher J. Murphy.  "This is a problem that threatens to grow even larger and faster if California's drivers are not convinced that mobile device use is dangerous."

While the number one source of driver inattention is the use of cell phones, distracted driving is more than just using technology when driving. It represents a range of activities that impact a driver’svisual, auditory, physical or cognitive abilities when driving.

To view the distracted driving public service announcements, go to the
CHP’s website: www.chp.ca.gov or
http://www.chp.ca.gov/depts_divs_offs/omr_texting.html