The California Highway Patrol urges motorists to avoid distractions behind the wheel
The holiday travel season is in full swing and the roads are crowded with vehicles. If that wasn’t challenging enough, add to it the occasional winter storm. With so much happening outside of the vehicle, the CHP is unleashing a traffic safety campaign reminding motorists to focus on driving, and worry about all the other distractions after they have safely arrived at their destination.
“There are so many drivers who understand the dangers of distracted driving and focus their attention on the road instead of responding to a phone call or text message,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Unfortunately, many drivers still don’t understand the hazards, yet statistics have shown that traffic collisions caused by distracted driving are on the rise. This campaign focuses on these individuals.”
Distracted driving is one of the leading contributors to collisions and near-collisions. According to the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, in 2009, California drivers age 20 years or older were involved in more than 23,000 collisions within CHP jurisdiction in which inattention was documented as an associated factor.
“The CHP urges drivers to stay focused on the primary task of driving,” added Commissioner Farrow. “Through education and enforcement, we are dedicated to curb this dangerous behavior.”
The yearlong, grant-funded Adult Distracted Driving II campaign consists of an education component, as well as several distracted driver enforcement operations throughout the state. By the end of the grant, Sept. 30, 2012, a minimum of 50 distracted driving enforcement operations will have been conducted, and at least 20 traffic safety presentations completed.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
