Full Notification

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 conduct increased patrols for distracted drivers. We will also join other law enforcement agencies across California on April 7th and April 20th for special "distracted driving" enforcement patrols.

"Texting and driving is dangerous and against the law," said Sheriff Bill Gore. "Our deputies are always on the lookout for distracted drivers. Remember: U Drive, U Text, U Pay."

Sheriff's Deputies issued nearly 3,000 citations to drivers who were caught using their cell phones in 2015. 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.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports more than 3,100 people were killed in crashes caused by distracted driving in 2014 in the U.S. That accounted for 10 percent of all crash fatalities.

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.

Funding for the distracted driving patrols is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).