Police Crack Down On Distracted Driving During April Enforcement Campaign

LAKE COUNTY, IL — Lake County Sheriff’s deputies issued 33 distracted driving citations during an April enforcement campaign aimed at reducing unsafe driving behaviors across the county, police said.

In recognition of distracted driving awareness month, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office partnered with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement agencies across Illinois to step up traffic enforcement throughout April, according to a news release.

Deputies increased patrols targeting drivers engaged in distracted behaviors such as texting, social media use, video viewing and other cellphone-related activity while driving, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office. In total, deputies issued 33 citations for distracted driving.

Additional enforcement actions included seven arrests for driving without a valid license, 20 speeding citations and 36 other traffic-related citations, according to a news release.

The initiative was funded through federal highway safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation, police said. During the campaign, Lake County Sheriff’s deputies logged 68 hours of dedicated enforcement and conducted 109 traffic stops.

Officials said the campaign is part of ongoing statewide efforts to improve roadway safety and reduce crashes caused by distracted driving.