CHP Cracks Down On ‘Distracted Driving’

Inland Empire motorists who neglect their driving because they’re talking or texting on a cell phone will be the focus of a special enforcement campaign planned today by the California Highway Patrol.

The agency is set to conduct a daylong crackdown on “distracted drivers.”

“It takes 100 percent of your attention to properly operate a motor vehicle,” said CHP Inland Division Chief Jeff Talbott. “If you are using a cell phone without a hands-free device, texting or distracted in some other way, our officers are going to take the appropriate enforcement action.”

He said saturation patrols are planned in specific, undisclosed locations in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Talbott’s assistant, Lt. David Lane, said drivers who text or operate a mobile phone in violation of the law will be the main targets.

“You need to pay attention to the road, especially with the weather we’ve been having,” Lane said. “There’s debris and potholes to watch for. When you’re driving, pay attention to that and not the multitude of other things going on.”

A first-time fine for texting while driving or using an undocked cell phone is $20, and $50 for subsequent offenses. State-imposed court fees can more than double the costs.

No driver under 18 is allowed to use a mobile phone — even with a hands- free device.

According to a Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study, motorists who use hand-held devices are nearly three times as likely to cause a crash.

The CHP plans to conduct quarterly enforcement campaigns targeting distracted drivers, according to Talbott.