RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENTSheriff Chad Bianco |
| Press Release: | Distracted Driving Awareness Month
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| Station Area: | Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage |
| Written Date: | April 8, 2021 | Time: | 6:30 AM |
| Incident Date: | April 2021 | Time: | N/A |
| Incident Location: | The Cities of Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage |
| Reporting Officer: | Deputy Frank Avila, Deputy Varon Potter |
| File Number(s): | N/A |
Details:
Give the Phone a “Break”: April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage, Calif. – April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the Sheriff’s Department encourages drivers to give the phone a break and focus on the road.
Throughout the month of April, the Sheriff’s Department will have additional officers on patrol specifically looking for drivers who violate the state’s hands-free cell phone law.
According to the 2020 California Statewide Public Opinion Survey, more than 75% of surveyed drivers listed “Distracted Driving because of TEXTING” as their biggest safety concern.
Under current law, drivers are not allowed to hold a phone or other electronic device while behind the wheel. Drivers under 18 are not allowed to use a phone for any reason, including hands-free.
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.
Funding for distracted driving enforcement operations are provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For media inquiries regarding this incident please contact the Media Information Bureau.
