Over fifty drivers cited for using their cellphones in El Centro

The month of April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The month brings attention to the dangers of using your cellphone while driving.

The El Centro Police Department participated in a distracted driving detail on April 10th, that resulted in 52 citations.

According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, dialing, talking, and texting increases the risk of getting into a crash by three times.

Sgt. James Thompson, from the El Centro Police Department, said using your cellphone while driving is dangerous, careless, and illegal.

In the state of California, you cannot use a cell phone or any other communication device while holding it in your hand.

You can only use your cellphone in a hands-free manner.

In addition, any driver under the age of 18 is prohibited from using a cellphone for any reason.

“We’ve been given a grant, through the office of traffic safety to go out and target specific events, such as distracted drivers, primary collision factors, with the hopes we reduce the number of collisions and the number of injuries,” said Sgt. James Thompson, El Centro Police Department.

The California Office of Traffic Safety recorded more than three thousand U.S. fatalities due to distracted drivers in 2014.

The El Centro Police Department added they take these violations very seriously and they will continue to conduct details like this one on a regular basis.