FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 1st, 2021
Ted Ruiz, 530-661-7843, ted.ruiz@cityofwoodland.org
Give the Phone a “Break”: April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Woodland, Calif. – April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and
the Woodland Police Department encourages drivers to give the phone a break and focus on the road.
Throughout the month of April, the Woodland Police Department will have officers on patrol specifically looking for drivers who violate the state’s hands-free cell phone law.
“Distracted driving is dangerous for everyone, including pedestrians,” Officer Stephanie Wilson said.
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.
“Picking up the phone while driving is a deliberate act. We want drivers focused on the road and not their phones.” Sergeant Ted Ruiz 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 communications 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 is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.