Public Safety

They Knew Better, But Got Caught Anyway

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Hundreds of local drivers must pay fines after being caught in a distracted driving campaign held by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the California Highway Patrol last week. The results show 467 motorists were cited for violating either the hands-free cell phone or no texting law. More than 500 others were observed making the violations but priority calls prevented officers from stopping them.

The campaign took place Feb. 13 through Feb. 18 and was well-publicized. The campaign was named “Distracted Driving — It’s Not Worth It.” Several drivers admitted to officers they knew about it but had used their cell phones illegally anyway. The California Office of Traffic Safety reports motorists who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into serious crashes. Drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes.

A first-offense for violating either the hands free or no texting law costs at least $159. Subsequent violations lead to fines of $279 or more. “The number of citations would have been much higher if not for the rain,” said Sheriff’s Lt. David Gilmore, “the motorcycle patrols didn’t go out and they are more apt to see that type of violation.” While the campaign is over, motorists should still be on their guard. Lt. Gilmore says deputies are now more educated on the specific citations and will still stop violators. The idea is to make sure drivers pay full attention to the road when they’re at the wheel.  

In addition to the 467 drivers who were cited, three citations were given to juveniles. They cannot use a cell phone even if they have a hands-free device. Three motorists who were stopped were also arrested for driving on a suspended license.