Fremont Police Department To Hold Zero Tolerance –
Distracted Driving Enforcement Operation
Fremont, CA – As part of this month’s Distracted Driving Awareness Month campaign, the Fremont Police Department will be offering “zero tolerance” to those texting or operating hand-held cell phones during the month of April, 2012. Drivers who break the law and place themselves and others in danger will be cited. The current minimum ticket cost is $159, with subsequent tickets costing at least $279.
Distracted driving is a serious traffic safety concern that puts everyone on the roadway at risk. As a result, law enforcement across the state, including the Fremont Police Department are increasingly cracking down on cell phone use and texting. This April will see over 225 law enforcement agencies conducting zero tolerance enforcements.
Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. Younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes. In addition, studies show that texting while driving can delay a driver’s reaction time just as severely as having a blood alcohol content of a legally drunk driver.
Studies show that there is no difference in the risks between hands-free and hand-held cell phone conversations, both of which can result in “inattention blindness” which occurs when the brain isn’t seeing what is clearly visible because the drivers’ focus is on the phone conversation and not on the road.
“Turn off your phone and put it out of reach as you get into the car,” said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. “Think before you call or text someone. If there is a chance they may be driving, let it wait. It’s not worth it.”
For more information please contact:
Sgt. Steve Delema # 2834
Fremont Police Department Traffic Unit
510-790-6763 or [email protected]
