April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
A driver that texts or uses a hand-held cell phone can cause a crash that leads to serious injuries or even death.
All month long, the Sheriff's Department will have a "zero tolerance" policy toward drivers caught using a hand-held cell phone.
If you are caught violating California's cell phone laws, you will be cited and face a minimum fine of $161 with subsequent violations being higher.
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), there were more than 426,000 handheld cell phone and texting convictions in the state in 2013. More than 57,000 tickets were issued in April alone.
"We take the issue of distracted driving very seriously," said Sheriff Bill Gore. "Not only is texting and driving dangerous, it's against the law and 100 percent preventable. DISTRACTED DRIVING: IT'S NOT WORTH IT!"
Watch a public safety video on the dangers of distracted driving by following the Sheriff's Department on VIMEO: http://goo.gl/DcguzF.
New teenage drivers can learn all about responsible driving by taking a "Start Smart" class. The two-hour class teaches teens all about driver safety, including not texting and driving.
To learn more about the "Start Smart" program, go to: http://www.sdsheriff.net/startsmart.
