Full Notification

Working Together To Stop Distracted Driving
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.


April is recognized as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. In California, The Morgan Hill Police Department, the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), as well as community partners and other law enforcement agencies throughout the state, are working together to make the roads safer. The campaign aims to end distracted driving through education and raise awareness about the associated dangers. The goal is to change motorist behaviors and save lives, not just in the month of April, but year-round.

This statewide campaign and partnership with law enforcement agencies is in direct alignment with the Morgan Hill City Council goal of reducing collisions and eliminating traffic related deaths. Please do not drive distracted, it is 100% avoidable, but it continues to be a serious problem among drivers. Too many lives are lost every year due to distracted driving. Distracted driving can have deadly consequences, no text, call, or social media update is worth risking a crash or a life.

We urge all drivers to silence their cell phones and devote 100% of your attention to the road. If you have new or inexperienced drivers in your household, remind them of the dangers of distracted driving. California drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using a cell phone or a hands-free device while operating a motor vehicle (CVC 23124). Please share with them the safety tips outlined below.

• Never text and drive
• Turn off your phone when you get behind the wheel
• Don’t text or call others when you know they are likely to be driving
• Don’t program your GPS or other devices while driving
• Pull over and stop to read maps

It’s been 10 years since “hands-free” became the law, but distracted driving remains a serious safety challenge in California. California Traffic Officers have issued hundreds of thousands of citations over the past three years to drivers for texting or calling on a hand-held cell phone. Still, we’ve all seen other drivers on a device driving in a dangerous manner next to us on the road.

The Morgan Hill Police Department is committed to reducing the number of collisions and injuries and raising the awareness of distracted driving. This can only be accomplished through the diligence and cooperation of the public – so please, drive safe and focus on the road.