Those unlimited texts and cell phone calls can still come at a hefty price if drivers aren't more careful, police warned Thursday.
The Long Beach Police Department, along with more than 200 law enforcement agencies across California, will crack-down on drivers who text make hand held cell phone calls as part of the state's first Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April, police announced.
The statewide program launches on Monday with the LBPD and more than 225 other police agencies, plus 103 California Highway Patrol divisions, adopting a zero tolerance policy for distracted drivers. Those caught illegally using their cell phones will be fined $159 for the first offense and $279 for subsequent incidents, said Sgt. Rico Fernandez, a Long Beach Police Department spokesman.
"Distracted driving can have significant repercussions." Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a press release issued to announce the statewide enforcement effort Thursday.
"People must understand that the consequences of distracted driving can be serious or even
sometimes fatal," McDonnell said.
Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into a crash serious enough to cause injury. Younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes, Fernandez.
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 drunk driver, the sergeant said.
"We recognize that convincing drivers to refrain from using cell phones or texting while driving isn't easy," said Office of Traffic Safety Director Christopher Murphy. "It's very difficult to resist the urge to check an incoming text or answer a cell phone call. That's why we are stepping up enforcement and public awareness efforts."
Murphy noted the same type of policy was adopted successfully 20 years to get California drivers to use their seat belts, with more than 96 percent of drivers in the state now "buckled up and thousands of lives ... saved."
The Long Beach Police Department, along with more than 200 law enforcement agencies across California, will crack-down on drivers who text make hand held cell phone calls as part of the state's first Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April, police announced.
The statewide program launches on Monday with the LBPD and more than 225 other police agencies, plus 103 California Highway Patrol divisions, adopting a zero tolerance policy for distracted drivers. Those caught illegally using their cell phones will be fined $159 for the first offense and $279 for subsequent incidents, said Sgt. Rico Fernandez, a Long Beach Police Department spokesman.
"Distracted driving can have significant repercussions." Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a press release issued to announce the statewide enforcement effort Thursday.
"People must understand that the consequences of distracted driving can be serious or even
sometimes fatal," McDonnell said.
Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into a crash serious enough to cause injury. Younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes, Fernandez.
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 drunk driver, the sergeant said.
"We recognize that convincing drivers to refrain from using cell phones or texting while driving isn't easy," said Office of Traffic Safety Director Christopher Murphy. "It's very difficult to resist the urge to check an incoming text or answer a cell phone call. That's why we are stepping up enforcement and public awareness efforts."
Murphy noted the same type of policy was adopted successfully 20 years to get California drivers to use their seat belts, with more than 96 percent of drivers in the state now "buckled up and thousands of lives ... saved."
I just want to thank the LBPD administration for dragging taking theirt time on a clearance letter that I need to return to work. I waould also like to add that this so-called court era with the Justice Department in order to extort revenue from tax payers to clear there name. The LB police are out working hard to fight crime and solve crimes. All im asking is to free me from your system which traps and ruins black mens lives. They are quick to arrest, shoot and prosecute but when it comes to true freedom Im still a slave.