MERIDIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 15, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT: Kelsey Johnston, Public Information Officer, [email protected]
Meridian Police Department to Join State Wide Effort to Encourage Engaged Driving
MERIDIAN- Meridian Police Department is joining other local law enforcement agencies during the last two weeks of April in increasing patrols to educate the public about engaged driving. This statewide effort works to highlight the dangers of distracted driving and the impact it has on our community.
Hands Free Ordinance 19-1857: An Ordinance Prohibiting the Use of Handheld Wireless Devices while Operating a Vehicle Upon a Street or Highway Within the City of Meridian went into effect in November 2019 with a warning period that ranged from November 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019. Officers in Meridian began issuing citations for the prohibited use of handheld wireless devices on January 1, 2020 ; seven (7) months prior to the Statewide ban on cell phone use while driving went into effect. The city has seen a 25% decrease in collisions related to cell phone use since the implementation of the law banning statewide use of cellular devices while driving.
“This is about more than writing tickets; it’s about sharing this message and preventing car crashes. Our goal with participating in this statewide effort is to provide education to the community through increased enforcement capabilities and to keep Meridian a great place to live, work, and raise a family” said Traffic Sergeant Justin Dance.
To use GPS on your phone, enter the address in before you start driving. Check out Bluetooth options for your car so you can talk hands-free, and if you have to read or send a text, pull over and park the car. Choose to leave the distractions behind, stay focused on the road, and drive engaged so you can help save lives.
For more information on the state-wide effort, visit: shift-idaho.org.
