Laguna Niguel Deputies On High Alert For Distracted Drivers Thursday

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA — Over 3,400 people were killed in 2016 as a result of distracted driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported. While distracted driving happens in many forms, in this day and age, it's most commonly seen with cell phones.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department is tackling distracted driving Thursday, April 13, as deputies focus their efforts on drivers in Laguna Niguel who are talking, texting or using an app on their phone while behind the wheel.

Sheriff's deputies will be on high-alert for distracted driving, and commuters who are found to be driving while distracted will be subjected to a $162 fine for the first offense, and at least $285 for a second offense.

"If you have an important phone call or need to reprogram your navigation system, pull over to a safe parking place," Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Don Barnes said in a statement. "To resist the urge of using your phone, either silence it or put it somewhere you can't reach."

Funding for Thursday's distracted driving enforcement operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.