California Highway Patrol Watching for Distracted Drivers During April

March 2, 2012 - According to reports, the California Highway Patrol and Orange County police officers are watching for distracted drivers during the month of April. According to authorities, the month of April has been declared National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, by the U.S. Congress.

California Highway Patrol officers and Orange County police officers plan to be on the lookout for drivers that are sending text messages or talking on cell phones that are violating the hands free law. This will also include other types of distractions, including eating, and applying makeup and other distractions.

According to the Sheriff’s Department they plan to have “zero tolerance” through the month of April for drivers that are distracted and not focusing on the road and will by citing drivers.

The Fountain Valley Police Department have set April 3 and April 18 as days that they will be on high alert for distracted drivers. According to the Sheriff’s Department Traffic Bureau drivers that decide to text or talk on a cell phone without a hands free device are violating the law and will be fined at least $160.00.

The California Highway Patrol said during the April 2011 campaign there were over 52,000 citations issued statewide. There were 13,321 citations issued in Orange County for drivers using non-hands free cell phones and drivers under the age of 18 using any type of cell phone. There were 730 citations issued for texting while driving by the California Highway Patrol in April 2011.