April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is encouraging drivers to “give the phone a break and focus on the road.”
Throughout the month of April, the Lake Elsinore Station will have additional deputies 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,” Sergeant Brad Foster 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 percent of surveyed drivers listed “distracted driving because of texting” as their biggest safety concern.
“Not driving distracted is a simple but significant behavior change,” Foster 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.
