Berkeley: Give The Phone A "Break" - April Is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Berkeley CA

09 April, 2021

3:20 AM

Description

Press release from the City of Berkeley: April 06, 2021 Berkeley, California (Tuesday, April 06, 2021) - April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the Berkeley Police Department encourages drivers to give the phone a break and focus on the road. Throughout the month of April the Berkeley Police Department will have additional officers on patrol specifically looking for drivers who violate the state's hands-free cell phone law. "When you are driving, give the phone a rest," Lt. Mike Durbin said. "A driver's number one focus should be on the road. Anything that distracts you from the task of driving, especially a phone, puts yourself and others at risk." 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. "Not driving distracted is a simple, but significant behavior change," Sgt. Andrew Frankel said. "The goal is to increase compliance with the hands-free cell phone law and keep people safe." 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 (OTS), through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Keep up with City of Berkeley news via our News page, email or Follow @CityofBerkeley . This press release was produced by the City of Berkeley. The views expressed here are the author's own.