<\/p>\n
Visalia Police Department<\/p>\n
Visalia<\/p>\n
California\u2019s hands-free cell phone law has placed many south Valley drivers in hot water.<\/p>\n
The Visalia Police Department conducted a distracted driving enforcement operation Thursday that resulted in 29 drivers cited for hands-free cell phone violations.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite repeated efforts to warn drivers about the hands-free cell phone law, some drivers continue to use their phones while operating a vehicle,\u201d Visalia officer Derek Neece said in a statement.<\/p>\n
California has had distracted driving laws on the books since 2008. Hands-free cell phone laws prohibit holding or operating a phone while driving, even when stopped in traffic.<\/p>\n
Under current law, drivers are not allowed to hold their phone or other electronic devices. Using a handheld cell phone while driving is punishable by a possible fine of $150 to $250, police said.<\/p>\n
According to Neece, violating the hands-free law for a second time within 36 months of a prior conviction for the same offense will result in a point added to a driver\u2019s record.<\/p>\n
Police recommend drivers that if they have an important phone call or need to program directions, pull over to a safe parking spot and either silence their phone or place it somewhere in their vehicle where they can reach it before getting on the road.<\/p>\n
Visalia Police Department said the funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.<\/p>\n
In 2022, 148 people were killed in California in crashes involving a distracted driver, a decrease of 5.1% from 2021, according to OTS.<\/p>\n
In the United States, a total of 3,275 people were killed in car crashes involving distracted drivers in 2023, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.<\/p>\n
According to the state\u2019s office of traffic safety, mobile devices remain the biggest distraction for drivers, whether it is texting, talking on the phone, or using apps.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur ultimate goal is to change behaviors that help make our roads safer,\u201d Neece said.<\/p>\n
Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n
Mar\u00eda G. Ortiz-Briones<\/a><\/p>\n The Fresno Bee<\/p>\n Mar\u00eda G. Ortiz-Briones is a reporter and photographer for McClatchy\u2019s Vida en el Valle publication. She covers issues that impact the Latino community in the Central Valley. She is a regular contributor to La Abeja, The Bee\u2019s free weekly newsletter on Latino issues. | Mar\u00eda G. Ortiz-Briones es reportera y fot\u00f3grafa de la publicaci\u00f3n Vida en el Valle de McClatchy. Ella cubre temas que impactan a la comunidad latina en el Valle Central. Es colaboradora habitual de La Abeja, el bolet\u00edn semanal gratuito de The Bee sobre temas latinos.
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