2:15pm | The Long Beach Police Department is reminding drivers of the dangers associated with driving while distracted, and requests that drivers put down their cell phones and other electronic devices while on the road.
According to a statement from the LBPD:
Each year, thousands of people are injured and many killed, because drivers were distracted while behind the wheel, and some studies have shown that distracted driving can be more dangerous than drunk driving. People do not drive as well with one hand on the wheel, especially when confronted with an unexpected emergency like somebody running out in front of their vehicle or having a tire blow out. A recent study reported that hand held communication devices cause 1 of every 4 accidents in the United States or 1.6 million accidents per year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 16% of drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported to have been distracted while driving.
Long Beach Police Department takes distracted driving seriously and enforces these traffic laws regularly by issuing citations for this dangerous behavior. The fine for cell phone and texting while driving violators is $142 including penalty assessments. Please give the task of driving your full attention, drive responsibly, and if you do need to use your cell phone or other electronic device, pull over to a safe location.
Click here for related coverage in a story back in July by Greggory Moore.