On Monday, Aug. 22, the Culver City Police Department will continue the work they performed on Aug. 13 and 15, and conduct “enforcement operations focused on drivers suspected of violating the hands-free cell phone law.”
According to a statement released by Sgt. Solve Loken of the CCPD, “Under current law, drivers are not allowed to hold a phone or electronic communications device while operating a vehicle. This includes talking, texting, or using an app. Using a handheld cell phone without hands-free operation while driving is punishable by a fine. A conviction of a second violation of the same hands-free law within 36 months will result in a point being added to the offender’s driving record.”
The police advises drivers to pull over into a safe parking spot before making an important phone or programing directions into the GPS. “Before driving, either silence your phone or put it somewhere you can’t reach it, to resist the urge to use the phone without hands-free operation while you’re driving,” they say.
The program is being funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to the National Safety Council, there are 1.6 million crashes each year due to cellphone use. Almost 390,000 injuries occur each year because of texting while driving.
Of every four accidents in the United States one is caused by texting and driving.
For more information, contact Sgt. Loken at 310-253-6260 and solve.loken@culvercity.org.
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