Gwinnett Police Campaign Targets Distracted Driving

This holiday season, put your cellphone down while you’re driving or be prepared to get a less-than-merry visit from Gwinnett County Police.

The department, along with Gwinnett cities and the Georgia State Patrol, has launched a two-week campaign focused on distracted driving and pedestrian safety.

Over the past year, Gwinnett’s Accident Investigation Unit has worked nearly 100 serious traffic accidents, more than half of which involved fatalities, WSB Radio is reporting.

It has also worked 15 pedestrian accidents with eight fatalities. Police say 14 of those accidents were the fault of the pedestrians, who in some cases were either crossing not at a crosswalk or doing so without a signal.

While no hard statistics are available, Gwinnett County Police Chief Butch Ayres told the station that in many of the serious traffic accidents, texting-while-driving was a factor.

“I operate an unmarked vehicle,” Ayers said. “I drive around and probably easily 40% of the people that I see on a daily basis are probably operating some type of handheld device while they’re at a stop light or while they’re driving.”

Gwinnett Police officers have issued just over 1,200 citations for distracted driving this year. They expect that number to increase sharply over the next two weeks.

Officers also will be handing out educational flyers, written in both English and Spanish, to pedestrians in areas including Pleasant Hill Road and South Norcross Tucker Road -- where pedestrian fatalities have occurred.