Police to Focus on Distracted Driving

Here's an announcement from the :

During the month of March, the Livermore Police Department will be focusing its efforts on vehicle safety as it pertains to distracted driving.

Across the nation, distracted driving causes crashes which result in injuries and deaths. In 2009, 5,474 people were killed in crashes involving driver distraction and an estimated 448,000 were injured. Drivers who use hand-held devices are 4 times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds.

At 55 mph, that’s the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field, blind.

Using a cell phone while driving, whether it's hand held or hands free, delays a driver’s reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (Source: University of Utah.)

There are three main types of distracted driving:

• Visual - Taking your eyes off the road.
• Manual - Taking your hands off the wheel.
• Cognitive - Taking your mind off what you are doing.

Distracted driving is any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving and increases the risk of crashing. Texting, cell phone use, eating/drinking, grooming, talking to passengers, using navigation devices, changing the radio station or a CD are all examples of distracted driving that can cause a collision.

During the month of March, the Livermore Police Department will be conducting several targeted enforcement days, where officers will have an emphasis on distracted driving. 

The Livermore Police Department Traffic Unit will also be conducting an educational program at both of the Livermore high schools with the students.  The program is specific to distracted driving and designed for teenagers. The Livermore Police Department is committed to traffic safety and the safety of our citizens. We appreciate our partnerships that we share with the community and the Office of Traffic Safety toward this goal.

If you have any questions regarding illegal equipment, contact the Livermore Police Department Traffic Division at (925) 371-4850.