Manhattan Beach police ticket more than 300 distracted drivers
April was designated National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. In April, the Manhattan Beach Police Department increased enforcement efforts on preventing distracted driving which resulted in 327 drivers being ticketed for using a handheld communication device behind the wheel, 47 drivers being ticketed for sending or looking at text based messages while operating a motor vehicle, and three drivers being ticketed for violating the posted speed limits due to distracted driving habits. According to state traffic laws, distracted driving can be defined as operating a vehicle while the driver’s main focus is committed elsewhere. Distracted driving can also be defined as inattentive behavior. In addition to reasons related to handheld communication devices, motorists can be cited for inattentive driving for reasons including reaching to get an item from the back seat of floorboard area of a moving vehicle or entering information into a global positioning satellite navigation system. Drivers using cell phones behind the wheel are four times more likely to be hurt in an automobile accident, according to collision statistics released by the Manhattan Police Department.
As a San Jose auto accident lawyer, I am hopeful that this public safety awareness campaign has been successful in reducing the dangers caused by inattentive drivers on the roadways. If you or someone you love has been injured in an automotive collision, please consider contacting a personal injury attorney in San Jose.
