Full Notification

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Joins Crackdown on Texting and Handheld Cell Use Behind the Wheel

April is National Distracted Driving Month In recognition of April’s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, NHTSA is kicking off the first national highly visible enforcement campaign against distracted driving. “If you’re texting, you’re not driving.”

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department including the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station will be joining over 200 other local law enforcement agencies and the California Highway Patrol in a month long “zero tolerance” enforcement and education campaign to curb those texting or operating hand-held cell phones while driving. Officers will be on alert throughout the month for those who break the cell phone laws and place themselves and others in danger. Special high visibility enforcement operations to cite cell phone violators will take place on April 3, 8, 17 and 22, 2014.

The increased enforcement and education aims to persuade drivers to recognize the dangers of distracted driving and reduce the number of people impacted by this perilous behavior. The “It’s Not Worth It!” theme emphasizes that a phone call or text isn’t worth a hefty fine or a collision. The current minimum ticket cost is $161, with subsequent tickets costing at least $281. U Drive. U Text. U PAY! IT’S JUST NOT WORTH IT!

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 also 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.

To avoid a distracted driving ticket or crash, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department offers drivers the following tips:

• Turn off your phone and/or put it out of reach while driving

• Include in your outgoing message that you can’t answer while you are driving

• Don’t call or text anyone at a time when you think they may be driving

These operations are funded through a grant by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Web Story is here:

http://shq.lasdnews.net/pages/NewsRelease.aspx?id=2162

By Sergeant Burton Brink @LASDBrink

Captain Bill Song

Crescenta Valley Sheriff Station,

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

4554 Briggs Ave., La Crescenta, CA 91214 Phone: (818) 248-3464

www.CrescentaValley.lasd.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrescentaValleySheriffsStation

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CVLASD

E-Mail: [email protected]

Text & Email, Register for LASD Nixle messages: To receive more detailed, up-to-date information via E-MAIL and/or TEXT directly from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), sign up for "Nixle" alerts at http://www.Nixle.com and register for "LASD – Headquarters Newsroom (SHB), Los Angeles County Sheriff" AND your local LASD station area. Or, to receive URGENT TEXT ALERTS ONLY, text your zip code to 888777.

Standard text messaging rates may apply depending on your calling plan. LA Crime Stoppers: Partner to prevent or report crime by contacting your local Sheriff’s station. Or if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.

John L. Scott, Sheriff,

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department