HomeMy Public PortalAbout19P-014 Distracted Driving Awareness MonthPLAINFIELD
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PRESS RELEASE
Release Immediately
Press Release #: 19P-014 Release Date: 03/29/2019
Case #: N/A
Contact: Traffic Sergeant Eric Munson, Plainfield Police, 815-267-7238
Heightened enforcement of hands-free law in April,
National Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Plainfield, IL - April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the Plainfield Police Department is
partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police, and more than 100 local law
enforcement agencies throughout the state to remind drivers to drop their phones or pay up.
Motorists will see increased patrols and enforcement zones across Illinois throughout the month. The Plainfield
Police will be ticketing drivers who text or use their cellphones while driving.
Over the past decade, distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of vehicle crashes on our
roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,166 people died in motor vehicle
crashes involving distracted drivers in 2017. While this represents a nine -percent decrease in distracted driving
fatalities from 2016, there is clearly more work to be done.
Texting while driving distracts a driver visually, manually and cognitively. Sending or receiving a text takes a
driver's eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent of driving blind at 55 miles per hour for
the length of an entire football field.
Follow these steps for a safe driving experience:
• If you are expecting a text message or need to send one, pull over and park your car in a safe location
Once you are safely off the road and parked, it is safe to text.
• Designate your passenger as your "designated texter." Allow them access to your phone to respond to
calls or messages.
• Do not engage in social media scrolling or messaging while driving. Cellphone use can be habit-
forming.
• Put your cellphone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat until you arrive at your destination.
The Distracted Driving enforcement campaign is supported through federal funds administered by [DOT.
AUTHORITY:�/ i7
Traffic Sergeant Eric Munson, #112
14300 S. Coil Plus Drive, Plainfield, IL 60544
II" y� ,I, Main Phone # (815) 436-6544 Executive Fax # (815) 436-9681
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.�•r.=per John J. Konopek Jr., Chief of Police