Rialto, Calif. – In an effort to raise awareness and help stop distracted driving, during the week of April 26 – April 30, the Rialto Police Department issued 22 citations to drivers who violated the state’s hands-free cell phone law.
“Driving while holding and using a cell phone or electronic device is a distraction and can have fatal consequences,” Rialto Police Chief Mark Kling said. “Citations have proven to be a strong deterrent to those who violate this law.”
According to the 2020 California Statewide Public Opinion Survey, more than half (51.7%) of drivers surveyed reported being hit by or nearly hit by another driver talking or texting on a cell phone.
Despite education and enforcement campaigns about the dangers of distracted driving, the behavior remains a serious traffic safety problem. The number of deadly crashes involving a distracted driver went up nearly 10% in 2019 from 2018, a report by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) found.
Under current law, drivers are not allowed to hold a phone or other electronic device while behind the wheel.
If you need to make a call or send a text, pull over and park at a safe location. Drivers should silence their phones or put the phone out of reach, such as the glove box or trunk.
While cell phones remain one of the biggest distractions, other serious distractions include eating, grooming, applying makeup, reaching for fallen objects, using a vehicle’s touchscreen, knobs, dials or buttons, changing clothes, or any other task that takes your eyes or mind off the road.
Funding for distracted driving enforcement is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
