The month of April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office will be looking for drivers who violate California's hands-free cell phone law.
According to the 2022 California Statewide Public Opinion Survey, nearly 72 percent of surveyed drivers said distracted driving from texting was their top safety concern.
In 2021, the California Highway Patrol issued nearly 56,000 distracted driving citations.
Under current law, drivers may not hold a phone or electronic communications device while operating a vehicle. This includes talking, texting, or using an app.
Using a cell phone by hand while driving is punishable by a fine. Violating the hands-free law a second time within 36 months of a prior conviction for the same offense will result in a point being added to a driver's record.
"Holding your phone and using it while driving is not only dangerous, but also illegal," said San Mateo County Sheriff, Christina Corpus.
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