Distracted Driving Enforcement Results

The month of April was designated as Distracted Driving Awareness Month by state Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and California Highway Patrol. Our department conducted an enforcement campaign aimed at drivers  using their cell phones and texting on our roadway.

In all, our Traffic officers gave 70 citations for drivers texting or using their cell phone while driving. 

Here are some facts from the state OTS:

• 80 percent of vehicle crashes involve some sort of driver inattention.
• Up to 6,000 people nationwide are killed in crashes where driver distractions are involved.
• Talking on a cell phone or texting is the number one source of driver distractions.
• Texting takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds, far enough to travel the length of a football field at 55 mph.  Most crashes happen with less than 3 seconds reaction time.
• Last year, California law enforcement wrote 475,000 texting and cell phone tickets. 
• California is one of 35 states that bans texting while driving