Sheriff’s Office looks for distracted drivers in Rancho Mirage

The Riverside County Sheriff's Office will conduct an enforcement operation today in Rancho Mirage focused on drivers violating a hands-free cell phone law.

"A driver's focus should be on the road, not their phone,'' Deputy Bret Meservey said in a statement. "That text, phone call, email or social media post is not worth the risk to yourself and other people on the road."  

The law says that drivers are not allowed to hold a phone or similar device while driving. Drivers who violate the law two times within 36 months of being convicted of the same offense will have a point added to their record.   

Authorities recommend drivers who need to make an important call or perform other activities on their cell phone pull over to a safe parking spot. They also recommend that people silence their phone or put it somewhere out of reach before driving.

The California Office of Traffic Safety provided funding for the enforcement program through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.