Hinsdale Police Actively Ticketing Distracted Drivers Throughout April

Throughout April, which the National Safety Council has identified as “Distracted Driving Awareness Month,” Hinsdale police will actively ticket drivers texting or operating hand-held cell phones.

The Hinsdale Police Department will also coordinate a regional enforcement effort April 24 with law enforcement agencies along the 55th Street Corridor from Naperville to Western Springs, according to the Hinsdale Police Department.

“This effort is intended to educate our community about the dangers of cell phone use while driving,” said Hinsdale Police Chief Bradley Bloom in a statement. ”We hope that once people see the statistics and realize the danger involved, they will change their driving habits to help protect themselves, their families, and others on the road.”

Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times more likely to get into serious injury-causing crashes, according to the official U.S. government website for distracted driving. Inexperienced drivers younger than 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes. Studies show that texting while driving can delay a driver’s reaction time as severely as a drunken driver.

To avoid a distracted driving ticket or a crash, the Hinsdale Police Department offers drivers the following tips:

• Turn off your cell phone and/or put it out of reach while driving;
• Include in your outgoing message that you can’t answer while you are driving;
• Don’t call or text anyone at a time when you think they may be driving.

Distracted drivers who break the law and endanger themselves and others will be cited without warning, with a fine amount of at least $120, according to the Hinsdale Police Department.

An educational video regarding distracted driving has been made by the Hinsdale Police Department and may be viewed on the website.

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