Southwest RivCo Deputies Are Watching For Distracted Drivers In April

TEMECULA, CA — Temecula drivers were warned to keep their cell phones out of hand's reach while driving, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said in a recent news release.

Deputies were actively looking for drivers in violation of the state’s hands-free cell phone law during the month of April, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department deputy Frank Opice.

“Holding your phone and using it while driving is not only dangerous but also illegal,” Opice said. “Before starting the car, silence your phone or put it in the glove box, trunk or back seat. Anywhere you can’t reach it.”

According to the 2022 California Statewide Public Opinion Survey, nearly 72 percent of drivers surveyed said that distracted driving because of texting was their biggest safety concern.

In 2021, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) issued nearly 56,000 citations for distracted driving.

How much of a fine can be levied if you are caught handling your cell phone while driving? That's up to the courts, according to the Sheriff's Department.

"Under current law, drivers are not allowed to hold a phone or electronic communications device while operating a vehicle," Opice wrote. "This includes talking, texting, or using an app. Using a handheld cell phone while driving is punishable by a fine."

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 being added to a driver’s record, according to Opice.

"If you have an important phone call, text, email, or in a situation with other distractions, pull over to a safe parking spot," he said.

Other distractions that a driver can be cited for include eating, grooming, reaching for something that fell on the floor, putting on or taking off clothing, talking with passengers, or driving with children in the back seat. If any of those are causing obvious distraction, observed by a deputy, they can contribute to being cited or fined.

Funding for distracted driving enforcement is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration