California Highway Patrol Officers and Local Law Enforcement Agencies will be vigilant for those drivers who are engaged in activities likely to cause distracted driving.
While the most common behaviors include talking on non-hands free cell phones and texting, other actions can be reading maps, books, and newspapers, eating, drinking, using computers, changing CD’s/radio stations, adjusting temperature, and even applying make-up.
Essentially, anything that diverts a driver’s attention away from the primary tasks of navigating a vehicle and responding to critical events can prove to have devastating consequences. The National Safety Council estimates 1.4 million traffic accidents occur annually due to distracted driving behaviors.
The CHP wants you to note while using hands-free technology is legal, the risks associated with being distracted while talking on them are ever-present. Parents and teens are also reminded that drivers under the age of 18 are precluded from even using hands-free technology while driving.
We are committed to seeing a decrease in the number of traffic collisions that are caused by distracted driving. This however can only be accomplished through the diligent awareness and cooperation of the public. We are working in conjunction with CHP and the public to curtail the senseless loss of lives and injuries caused by distracted driving.
